From expert to flexpert. How workers meet new expertise needs throughout their careers

Abstract

This PhD dissertation focuses on the need for workers to adapt to evolving expertise requirements in the midst of complex societal and organizational changes. The global labor market is witnessing a surge in the demand for upskilling, reskilling, and multidisciplinary expertise as workers navigate transitions. As such, scholars shifted their perspective from understanding how one becomes an expert to safeguarding a worker's future position in the labor market. This dissertation increased our understanding regarding the concept of ‘flexpertise’, which describes individual workers' adaptive abilities to meet expertise demands in their careers. We captured this adaptive ability into dynamic process models which describe the mechanisms by which workers can deal with ongoing changes in their working environment. This enables them to stay employable and to meet the needs of their surrounding stakeholders at the same time. The dissertation furthermore outlines what the focus on flexpertise development implies for leaders and HR/D functions, advocating for bundles of ‘renewal practices’ alongside expertise development practices. In conclusion, our research underlines the importance of continuous adaptation in the evolving labor market and raises ethical considerations about the feasibility of everyone becoming a flexpert.