THE INFLUENCE OF TRAIT ANXIETY ON CAREER SELF-MANAGEMENT AND THE MODERATOR EFFECT OF STATE ANXIETY ABOUT LAYOFFS DUE TO COVID 19 PANDEMIC AMONG WHITE-COLLAR EMPLOYEES

Abstract

This study aims to contribute to the literature on sustainable careers by studying the effect of t-anxiety on the career self-management dimensions which are Personal Mastery (PM), Verbal Persuasion (VP), and Vicarious Learning (VL), and the moderator affect of s-anxiety about layoffs due to COVID 19 pandemic on these relationships. The causal comparison screening approach was adopted. Hypotheses were investigated by the SEM method. The research data were collected online from 365 white-collar employees between July 1, and August 30, 2021, using a simple random sampling approach. The purpose of collecting the data between these dates was that the ban on lying off the employees due to the COVID 19 pandemic has been lifted on June 30, 2021. Empirically, a negative and significant relationship was found between t-anxiety and PM. It was also found that positive and significant relationships exist between t-anxiety and VP and VL. A negative relationship between s-anxiety about layoffs due to COVID 19 pandemic and PM was determined. S-anxiety about layoffs due to COVID 19 pandemic has been found to have moderating negative effect on the relationships between t-anxiety and VP and VL. High levels of anxiety (both for t-anxiety and s-anxiety) affect PM negatively whereas low levels of anxiety strengthen it. PM gets weaker in anxious individuals, while VP and VL get stronger. Because of the s-anxiety about layoffs due to COVID 19 pandemic white-collar professionals are likely to face a career shock, resulting in unsustainable trajectories. ASEAN Journal of Psychiatry, Vol. 23(1) January, 2022; 1-17.