Academic employees’ perceptions of the career development initiatives implemented at a South African higher education institution: The descriptive approach

Background: In higher education, due to high turnover rates, how academic employees perceive career development initiatives can either positively or negatively affect their career growth, retention rate and motivational levels. Despite that, there is a dearth of research studies on how academic employees perceive career development initiatives, which ultimately might lead to high or low turnover rates. Objectives: This study explored, descriptively, academic employees’ perceptions of the career development initiatives at the university, with a specific focus on career planning, counselling/guidance, organisational support and career adaptation initiatives. Methods: A quantitative, descriptive design was used, with data collected online via an adapted survey distributed via Google Forms. Using convenience sampling, 89 academic staff across four faculties participated. The instrument’s overall internal consistency was 0.714 (Cronbach’s alpha). Descriptive statistics (means, standard deviations and frequencies) were analysed using International Business Machines (IBM) Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 30.0. Results: Findings revealed generally positive perceptions of overall career development initiatives and career planning sub-scales, while career counselling and guidance, organisational support and career adaptation were perceived negatively. Conclusion: Academic employees at the university are satisfied with career planning initiatives but dissatisfied with operational ones. The university should implement an effective career counselling program and provide visible support for career growth, leading to more motivated and committed academics. Contribution: The study contributes to African higher education literature by revealing a gap between institutional career policy and academics’ perceptions, highlighting the need for stronger and realistic career development initiatives and their implementation.