Balancing contracts expectations and professional identity

Abstract

This study integrates the psychological contract theory with the self-determination theory to examine the impact of relational and transactional psychological contracts on the professional identity of young professionals in Ghana’s professional services sector. It further explores how these identities influence their career resilience, considering the moderating effects of conscientiousness and organisational support. Employing a quantitative methodology, the research utilised a structured questionnaire to collect data from 421 professionals across various sectors within Ghana’s professional services firms. The data was analysed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The findings confirm that relational and transactional psychological contracts positively influence Professional Identity Strength (PIS), with relational contracts showing a stronger effect. PIS significantly predicts career resilience. Additionally, the moderating effects of conscientiousness and a supportive organisational climate are significant, enhancing the positive impact of PIS on career resilience. This study contributes to the literature by combining psychological contract and self-determination theories to provide new insights into the dynamics of professional identity and resilience in the workplace, particularly within the context of Ghana’s professional services sector.