Sustainable employability means that, as an employee, you maintain relevant skills and competences that match the changing demands of your job and the labour market. In a time of rapid technological developments and changing working methods, this is crucial for your career security and job satisfaction. By consciously investing in your personal development, you remain valuable to employers and maintain control over your professional future.
What is sustainable employability and why is it important for employees?
Sustainable employability is the ability to remain relevant and productive throughout your career by continuously adapting your knowledge, skills and competences to changing working conditions. It is about more than just performing your current job well.
The labour market is changing faster than ever. New technologies, changing customer needs and economic developments mean that jobs and required competences are constantly evolving. Workers who are changing their sustainable deployment neglect, risk losing their relevance.
For your personal career development, sustainable employability means proactively anticipating change instead of acting reactively. You build a portfolio of skills and experiences that make you flexibly employable within different roles and organisations. This gives you more certainty and choice in your career.
How do you recognise whether you are still sustainably employable in your job?
You can assess your sustainable employability by looking at signs in your work and personal development. Do you still feel challenged by your tasks? Can you keep up with new developments in your field? Are you still getting positive feedback on your performance?
Key indicators are your willingness to learn and adaptability. If you notice that you are struggling with new systems, work processes or technologies, this could be a signal that you are falling behind. Similarly, if colleagues or managers are turning to others more often for advice or important projects, this is a warning sign.
Pay attention to your network and market position. Are you still getting invitations to relevant meetings? Are you being approached by recruiters? Do you have insight into developments in your sector? A declining professional network or lack of market insight may indicate decreased employability.
Your job satisfaction is another indicator. If your work becomes routine and you no longer experience growth, it is time to invest in your development. Career coaching can help you understand your current position and development needs.
What are the consequences of not being sustainably employable?
Neglecting your sustainable employability leads to reduced job security and limited career opportunities. You become more vulnerable to reorganisations and technological changes. Employers invest less in employees who do not grow with developments.
Your professional value in the labour market decreases when your skills become obsolete. This results in less attractive jobs, lower salaries and limited choices in any career move. It becomes harder to find interesting new challenges.
Job satisfaction decreases significantly when you feel you are lagging behind developments. Your self-confidence decreases and stress can increase due to uncertainty about your future prospects. This can lead to a negative spiral in which you become even less motivated to invest in your development.
Organisations may decide to redesign or automate functions, with employees without up-to-date competences being the first to be affected. This increases the risk of forced career changes under adverse conditions.
As an employee, how can you improve your sustainable employability?
Start by gaining an understanding of yourself and your future job market. Analyse what competencies you have now, which ones you want to develop and what the market demands. Draw up a personal development plan with concrete goals and timelines for your competence development.
Invest regularly in new knowledge and skills by attending trainings, courses or certifications. Keep abreast of trends in your field by reading trade magazines, attending webinars and conferences. Actively seek out new challenges within your current role.
Build and maintain a strong professional network. Participate in industry associations, attend network meetings and maintain contact with colleagues from different organisations. A good network provides insight into market developments and can create new opportunities.
We offer specialised programmes for sustainable employability, using science-based methods such as BrainsFirst to identify your natural talents. Through career coaching, you gain insight into your unique qualities and learn to anticipate future developments. Our tailor-made programme helps you take concrete steps towards a future-proof career.