Full Length Research Paper

Paradigm shift in managing career plateau in organisation: The best strategy to minimize employee intention to quit

Henry Ongori* and Joseph E. Agolla

University of Botswana, Department of Management, Private Bag 00701, Gaborone, Botswana.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: Ongorih@mopipi.ub.bw. Tel.: +267-3555109.

Fax: +267-3185102.

Accepted 18 May, 2009

   Abstract

In this era of globalisation career plateau in organisation needs to be managed effectively to minimize employee’s intention to quit. Many employees find themselves in jobs that offer them limited mobility opportunities in terms of upward movement in the organisation. There are many drivers which lead to career plateau in organisations particularly organisational re-structuring. Career plateau affects both the management and employees. Career plateau is considered as one of the contributing factors in employee’s intention to quit in many organisations. Management and human resource professionals are in dilemma on the best interventions to put in place to manage career plateau effectively in order to enhance organisation competitiveness. This paper tries to investigate the drivers and effects of career plateau in organisation and recommends best strategies to manage career plateau in organisation. The methodology adopted in this study is critical review of the existing literature online and print. The major finding of this study is that career plateau is a major contributing factor to employee turnover in organisations. The contribution of this paper is that it will provoke scholarly debate on management and other stakeholders to develop the best strategies to manage career plateau in organisation. 

Key words: Career plateau, management, paradigm, organisations, quitting, strategies.