Abstract

The purpose of this research was to explore predictors of employees’ procrastination behaviors when approaching the transition from worker to manager. I drew on the Extended Model of Action Phases and Temporal Motivation Theory to argue that both personal and situational factors are related to career procrastination behaviors. Specifically, I hypothesized that trait passive procrastination, trait active procrastination, and work constraints are positively related to transition procrastination behaviors, whereas trait proactivity and work resources are negatively related to transition procrastination behaviors. I further hypothesized that career self-efficacy and subjective temporal proximity are two mechanisms through which these effects occur. These hypotheses were tested in a correlational study with two on-line surveys separated by one month. Data were gathered from a sample of employees working in various organizations and industries in Canada (N = 282). Consistent with the hypotheses, I found that trait passive procrastination, trait active procrastination, and constraints were positively related to transition procrastination behaviors, whereas resources were negatively related to transition procrastination behaviors. In contrast to my prediction, trait proactivity was not related to transition procrastination behaviors. As expected, career self-efficacy mediated relations between traits (passive procrastination, proactivity), environmental factors (resources and constraints) and transition procrastination behaviors. Subjective temporal proximity mediated relations between traits (passive procrastination, proactivity) and transition procrastination behaviors, but only in cross-sectional and not in time-lagged tests. Based on these findings, companies can reduce employees’ career procrastination behaviors by providing more career development resources and mitigating potential organizational constraints, which can build employees’ self-efficacy and encourage developmental behaviors.