In recent series we have introduced you to various values and motivators that drive us to act. We have also mentioned Edgar Schein and his Career Anchors many times. In this article we want to bring the Career Anchors together in one place and show how HR and managers can use awareness and knowledge of the anchors that guide their employees.
In today’s dynamic business environment, career management is becoming ever more important. As employees strive for success and professional satisfaction, it is necessary to understand their values, interests and goals. This is where career anchors come in – a concept and body of research developed by Edgar Schein, an outstanding American organisational psychologist. In this article we explore career anchors, their importance, their use in career planning and the benefits organisations and employers can draw from them.
Edgar Schein, regarded as one of the pioneers of career development, was a professor of organisational psychology at the MIT Sloan School of Management. His research on the concept of career anchors laid the foundations for understanding how an individual’s motivations and values influence career choices and development. According to Schein, a career anchor is something that gives an employee a sense of security and stability, based on personal values and needs.
Career anchors are therefore fundamental elements that shape our decisions about work and career. Schein identified eight different types of anchors, which form on the basis of a person’s experiences, values, skills and preferences. Let’s take a closer look at them:
Technical/functional competence (professionalism):
People guided by this anchor strive to be experts in a specific field and to confirm their own skills.
You can recognise them by their focus on perfecting their skills and on horizontal progression rather than interest in management positions.
They are motivated by the drive to be specialists in their field, to gain knowledge and to keep improving.
They are demotivated by a lack of opportunities for professional development and by routine work with no chance to improve.
They do best in professions that require specialist knowledge and skills, such as engineers, scientists, lawyers or programmers.
General managerial competence (leadership):
People guided by the leadership anchor seek new experiences in managing, making decisions and widening their scope of authority.
They can be recognised by their motivation for financial success and their aspiration to management positions.
They are motivated by developing in management, taking on challenges and growing responsibility.
They are demotivated by a lack of promotion opportunities, limits on decision-making and a lack of financial prospects.
They do well in executive and managerial positions where they can use their leadership and management skills.
Autonomy and independence:
People guided by the autonomy and independence anchor strive to widen their freedom and free themselves from constraints such as bureaucracy or autocratic bosses.
They can be recognised by their wish to be independent specialists and their avoidance of being mere executors of orders.
They are motivated by independence at work, the ability to make decisions and responsibility for their own actions.
They are demotivated by a lack of autonomy, excessive supervision and limits on decision-making.
They do well as independent specialists and experts in their field, and often avoid management positions.
Security and stability:
People guided by the security and stability anchor base their actions on an emotional bond with the company and a sense of loyalty.
They can be recognised by a strong need for security and an aspiration to management positions within the same organisation.
They are motivated by a sense of security, long-term relationships with employers and financial stability.
They are demotivated by job insecurity, uncertainty and changes in the work environment.
They do well in professions that offer stability and development within one organisation, such as sales representatives, administrative staff or in-house specialists.
Creativity and entrepreneurship:
The creativity and entrepreneurship anchor shows itself in the ability to recognise problems and introduce change and innovation.
People guided by this anchor are mobile and positive about rotation and horizontal progression.
They are often content with the role of adviser to the boss, where they can use their creativity.
They are motivated by the opportunity to solve problems, introduce change and pursue innovation.
They are demotivated by routine work with no opportunity to make changes and by limits on creative action.
They do well in professions related to problem-solving, design and marketing, as well as entrepreneurs.
Service and dedication to others:
The service and dedication anchor focuses on realising humanistic values – helping others, healing, teaching.
People with this anchor get involved in social activities and often volunteer.
They can be recognised by their commitment to helping others and their care for other people.
They are motivated by the opportunity to help others and to realise humanistic values.
They are demotivated by a lack of opportunities to help others and a lack of recognition for their efforts.
They do well in professions related to social care, medicine and teaching, as well as in non-governmental organisations.
Pure challenge:
The challenge anchor is based on a desire to confront difficulties and take risks.
People who like challenges are happy to work in environments that offer opportunities to fight and compete.
The field of challenge can vary, from rescuing companies from bankruptcy to trade and sport.
They can be recognised by their desire to confront difficulties and take risks.
They are motivated by the opportunity to develop and succeed by overcoming challenges.
They are demotivated by a lack of new challenges and routine work with no chance to grow.
They do well in professions related to crisis management, negotiation and sales, and in industries that demand competition.
Lifestyle:
The lifestyle anchor focuses on maintaining a balance between different aspects of life, especially work and private life.
People with this anchor are ready to give up higher earnings in favour of spending more time with their loved ones.
They can be recognised by their pursuit of harmony between work and personal life.
They are motivated by the opportunity to enjoy life and spend time with their loved ones.
They are demotivated by a lack of work-life balance and by devoting themselves solely to work.
They do well in jobs that allow flexible working hours, such as remote work, the liberal professions or running their own business.
It is worth noting that most people have one or two dominant anchors that influence their career decisions and satisfaction. Nevertheless, it is possible to have more than one anchor, which means that different values and needs can influence career planning and professional choices.
Edgar Schein’s career anchors are a valuable tool that HR can use in various people-management processes. Here are some examples of how HR can use Schein’s anchors and what benefits it can gain:
Recruitment and selection: Analysing career anchors can help HR better match candidates to the requirements of the position and the organisational culture. Understanding which anchors are dominant in candidates allows HR to identify those who best fit the organisation’s specific requirements and values. This can lead to better hiring decisions and a lower risk of failures caused by poor fit.
Employee development: Knowing employees’ career anchors allows HR to create individual development plans consistent with their values and motivations. As a result, employees feel greater satisfaction and engagement in their careers, which translates into higher performance and retention. HR can also offer training and development programmes that take into account the preferences and needs linked to employees’ dominant anchors.
Talent management and succession planning: Understanding career anchors among key employees allows HR to identify potential leaders and successors for key positions in the organisation. Knowledge of anchors allows employees to be better matched to suitable career paths and their skills to be developed in line with their motivations and values. As a result, the organisation has a better chance of retaining talented employees and ensuring continuity of management.
Employee motivation and engagement: Using information about career anchors in motivation processes can help increase employee engagement. HR can tailor motivational measures, such as rewards, promotions or development programmes, to employees’ preferences and values. Employees who see that the organisation appreciates and takes their career anchors into account are more likely to engage in their work and achieve better results.
Managing change and restructuring: Career anchors can also be useful in processes of organisational change and restructuring. Understanding which anchors are present among employees allows HR to prepare and support them properly during difficult periods of change. Adapting communication and offering additional training or rotation opportunities can help minimise resistance to change and maintain employee engagement.
The benefits HR can draw from using career anchors include a better fit between candidates and positions, greater employee engagement and retention, identification of potential leaders, better change management and development programmes tailored to individual employee needs. As a result, HR becomes a more effective business partner, contributing to the achievement of organisational goals.
Managers can gain many benefits from knowing their employees’ career anchors. With this information they can better understand their team’s motivations, preferences and values, which enables more effective management and relationship-building. Here are some ways managers can make practical use of knowledge about employees’ career anchors:
Tailoring tasks and projects: Understanding their employees’ dominant anchors allows managers to tailor the tasks and projects they assign. They can give employees tasks consistent with their interests, strengths and motivations. Employees entrusted with tasks related to their anchors are more engaged and more willing to make extra effort.
Individual development conversations: Regular one-to-one development conversations with employees are an excellent opportunity to raise the subject of career anchors. Managers can ask about employees’ preferences and career goals to better understand their dominant anchors. On this basis, personalised development and support plans can be drawn up that take employees’ individual needs and motivations into account.
Delegating responsibility: Knowing employees’ career anchors, managers can consciously delegate more responsibility and decision-making to those who want to develop towards leadership or autonomy. This gives employees the opportunity to develop their skills and gain new experience while increasing their motivation and engagement.
Building balanced teams: Knowledge of career anchors can help managers build balanced teams. A variety of anchors in a team allows a diversity of skills, perspectives and motivations. Managers can create teams in which different anchors are represented, which fosters creativity and innovation and increases the effectiveness of teamwork.
Motivating and rewarding employees: Knowing employees’ career anchors allows managers to better match forms of motivation and reward. Some employees value professional development and learning opportunities more, while others appreciate stability and security. Tailoring motivational measures to employees’ preferences increases their engagement and satisfaction.
Resolving conflicts and problems: Knowledge of career anchors can also help resolve conflicts and problems between employees. Managers can better understand where differences in preferences and motivations come from, which makes it possible to find compromises and solutions that take into account employees’ different anchors and values.
In practice, managers’ use of knowledge about employees’ career anchors enables more personalised and effective management. It makes it possible to better match tasks, development conversations, responsibility, rewards and support to employees’ individual needs and motivations. The result is greater engagement, satisfaction and effectiveness of the team’s work.
In addition, examining career anchors helps identify employees at risk of dissatisfaction and burnout. Employees whose dominant anchors are neglected may feel a lack of motivation and satisfaction, which leads to lower performance and engagement.
The conclusion is that Edgar Schein’s career anchors are a valuable tool for career planning and development. They help employees and organisations understand which values and motivations drive their career choices. Understanding anchors can contribute to greater job satisfaction, effective people management and more harmonious working environments.
