Trapped and thwarted: career plateaus, organizational obstruction and their impact on goals, distress and withdrawal

Purpose Informed by Social Cognitive Career Theory, this study examines the indirect associations of career plateau with career distress and psychological withdrawal through career goal disengagement, and whether perceived organizational obstruction strengthens these associations. Design/methodology/approach We used a three-wave, time-lagged design with data from 297 employees across service-sector organizations in Pakistan, with one-month intervals between measurement points. Findings Career plateau was indirectly associated with career distress and psychological withdrawal through career goal disengagement. These indirect associations were stronger when perceived organizational obstruction was high, consistent with the proposed motivational pathway and boundary condition. Originality/value Our study adds to the literature on career development and organizational behavior by emphasizing the conditions under which a career plateau becomes deleterious for employees.