Abstract

The aim of the present research was to investigate employability in a group of mature workers, namely over 45-workers (Schalk e Van Veldhoven, 2010). More specifically, attention was focused on the involvement of workers in initiatives addressed to enhance personal employability (employability activities). The role of individual and organizational determinants was also taken into account, in order to analyse if and to what extent employability orientation could mediate the relationship between these antecedents and employability activities. Participants were 300 mature workers, employees of the University of Bari, aged over 45 years old, who were invited to fill in a semi-structured questionnaire composed by socio-demographical information and by information about career development as well as by the scales referred to the variables investigated by the study. Results showed a partial confirmation of the role played by employability orientation. Accordingly, the relationship between career identity, perceived organizational support and normative commitment was showed to be mediated by employability orientation. The implications of the study were discussed in light with the human resource management and organizational development perspectives.