THE CAUSES OF JOB INSECURITY TRIGGER CAREER CUSHIONING AS A FORM OF SELF-PROTECTION

Abstract

Job insecurity has become an increasingly prominent issue in today’s dynamic and uncertain labor market. Rapid technological advancements, organizational restructuring, economic instability, and changing employment patterns have increased employees’ concerns regarding job continuity. This study aims to examine how perceived job insecurity triggers career cushioning as a form of self protection among employees. A quantitative approach was employed using a survey method involving 112 employees consisting of permanent and contract workers with a minimum tenure of one year. Data were collected using a five-point Likert scale questionnaire and analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling-Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS). The results reveal that job insecurity has a positive and significant effect on career cushioning (β = 0.306; p = 0.001) and self-protection (β = 0.461; p = 0.000). Self-protection also significantly influences career cushioning (β = 0.429; p = 0.000) and partially mediates the relationship between job insecurity and career cushioning (β = 0.198; p = 0.001). The findings indicate that employees experiencing higher levels of job insecurity tend to adopt proactive career management strategies to protect their future career prospects. Therefore, organizations should implement effective human resource management practices to reduce employee insecurity and maintain organizational commitment.