Improving career development opportunities through rigorous career pathways research

Organizational life has become less predictable in today’s rapidly changing workplace. Workers must make career decisions within an increasingly uncertain organizational, societal, and global environment. Businesses face the same evolving landscape, making it difficult for them to anticipate their employees’ needs, desires, and likely career directions. Career pathways systems can provide the structure that is vital for career progression, helping people develop competencies designed to increase employability while helping organizations develop employees strategically, build engagement, and improve retention. In our focus on the workplace, we underscore the need for more holistic, data-driven individual and organizational perspectives on career growth and success; we describe how a career pathways framework can contribute to these goals. We offer directions for future research to promote career growth and success for individuals, and to help employers create or strengthen career pathways systems that will reduce bias and enhance organizational performance by supporting the advancement of their employees.