Career agility across cultural frameworks

A narrative review of individualistic versus collectivistic contexts

Abstract

Career agility refers to the ability to successfully navigate changes within the workplace. It is an important skill in the context of the volatile nature of the world of work. However, most theories on careers and work are of a Western individualistic nature and do not address collectivistic notions of work and career. This review seeks to close this gap by summarizing the existing body of knowledge on the construct of career agility across varying cultural dimensions of individualism and collectivism. Using Savickas’ Career Construction Theory and Hofstede’s Cultural Framework, this review identifies and describes various cultural variants of career agility. In individualistic cultures, career agility takes the form of free-choice and independence in career planning; however, it can potentially result in career-related anxiety and burnout. In collectivistic cultures, career agility encompasses adaptability in the choice of work roles and responsiveness to the needs of the work-family domain. This review provides evidence that in some cultures (e.g., Asia), members may remain in the same organization and adapt to various roles to ensure work-family integration. This review provides and discusses recommendations for practice in the field of psychology, management and policy.