Career Shocks, Perceived Organizational Support and Justice in Nigeria: A Case of Public Sector Employees

IRASS Journal of Economics and Business Management https://irasspublisher.com/journal-details/IRASSJEBM ISSN (Online) 3049-1320 This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC license 6 JOURNAL COVER PAGE Career Shocks, Perceived Organizational Support and Justice in Nigeria: A Case of Public Sector Employees ESISO Beauty1*, Professor ISHIORO B. O2, ATUMAH Anthony Oghenemene3 *1-3 DELSU Business School, Asaba, Delta State University, Abraka 2 Department of Economics, Delta State University, Abraka Corresponding Author ESISO Beauty DELSU Business School, Asaba, Delta State University, Abraka Article History Received: 19 / 07 / 2025 Accepted: 28 / 10 / 2025 Published: 05 / 11 / 2025 Abstract: In this study, we examined how career shocks affect perceived organizational support and justice in the Nigerian public sector. Career shocks were examined at two-levels – duration, and controllability of shocks; hence the dependent variables are organizational support and justice while the independent variable is career shocks (duration and controllability). A survey of 377 employees was sampled out of the 395 employees in 8 local government areas in Delta State. The survey data collected were evaluated via descriptive, post-estimation and inferential statistical techniques. The multiple regression results revealed no significant effect of career shocks on perceived organisational support (Model Chi2(3) = 8.54; Prob.=0.1289 > 0.05) and organizational justice (Model Chi2(3) = 8.50; Prob. = 0.1307 >0.05) in the Nigerian public sector. The study therefore concludes that career shocks insignificantly influence the level of perceived organisational support, and justice in the Nigerian public sector. On the basis of the findings, it recommends that public sector organizations should remain resolute in communicating support mechanisms for employees to become aware and feel supported. In addition, public sector organizations should constantly collect employees’ feedbacks on support services to improve and tailor them. Furthermore, because career shocks do not affect organizational justice, there is the need to continuously reinforce fair policies and transparent decision-making to sustain organizational justice; this is required to promote awareness about organizational justice principles among employees and public sector management in order to keep perceptions about organizational justice positive. Keywords: Career shocks; Perceived organizational support; Organizational justice; Public sector; Voluntary turnover intentions. How to Cite in APA format: ESISO, B., ISHIORO B.O. & ATUMAH, A.O. (2025). Career Shocks, Perceived Organizational Support and Justice in Nigeria: A Case of Public Sector Employees. IRASS Journal of Economics and Business Management. 2(11),614. Introduction Many Nigerians were forced to re-evaluate their goals, jobs, and lives as the COVID-19 pandemic struck in the spring of year 2020. The high rate of attrition and consequent shortage of workers caused early store closures, airline flight cancellations, and other issues as the mask mandates loosened (Birinci & Amburgey, 2022). Employees' abruptly altered outlooks on life and work as a result of the pandemic's interruptions were typically blamed for this high decreased organizational support and organizational justice. The rate of organizational support and organizational justice decreased by 30 percent, and has continued to decrease (Cook, 2021; Schimel, 2021; Sheather & Slattery, 2021; Penn & Nezamis, 2022). Mandatory company closures and related changes in consumer demand during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic in March and April 2020 led to layoffs and separations. Although the rate of separations and layoffs had decreased by May 2020, organizational justice was still decreasing (Penn & Nezamis, 2022). While financial activities and retail and wholesale trade decreased slightly, it was discovered that employees’ quit rates in professional and business services, durable goods manufacturing, and leisure and hospitality continued to rise in 2023, despite rising inflation. Since the start of the pandemic, many people's ideas about what constitutes meaningful labour have evolved, and this change in perspective seems to be permanent. Almost half of workers will think about quitting if their job or workplace does not align with the perceived investment of their skills, time, and dedication (Gandhi & Robison, 2021). According to a PricewaterhouseCoopers poll conducted in 2022 among 678 corporate executives representing a range of industries and company sizes, 77 percent of the executives viewed recruitment and retention of people as the most vital factor in their organization's growth. In 2022 and subsequent years, the executives stated that they intended to invest more in attracting and retaining talents. Feature-oriented variables, such as job satisfaction and pay (Chan & Ao, 2019; Lee et al., 2017) or embeddedness (Kalnbach, 2005), a term for networks and commitments that invisibly hold an individual to a current job in spite of potential dissatisfaction or inadequate pay, have often been the focus of research aimed at shedding light on potential factors influencing perceived organizational support and organizational justice In the views of Nelms et al. (2022), an employee's compensation frequently indicates how highly the company regards them. Since their pay is a reflection of the value their employer places on them, employees are undoubtedly quite concerned about it. Perhaps more significantly, workers frequently IRASS Journal of Economics and Business Management. Vol-2, Iss-11 (November-2025), 6-14 Vol-2, Iss-11 (November-2025) 7 observe that a different company values them as an employee by paying them more. Research on the effect of individual factors including organisational commitment, job satisfaction, perceived organisational support, perceived employability, organisational justice, work-life balance, career development opportunities, employee stress, and burnout, on the intention to leave an organization has increased since job features have revealed a modest predictive ability for perceived organizational support and organizational justice (Mirzaei et al., 2021; Labrague & Santos, 2021; Lee & Jang, 2020; Chami-Malaeb, 2021). In light of the aforementioned, feature-based reasons for leaving are commonly reported (e.g., for career development or more money) (Akkermans et al., 2020). Career shocks are frequently identified as a triggering element when looking at other possible causes (Akkermans et al., 2021; Hofer et al., 2021; Nalis et al., 2021). Career shock is described as a disruptive or extraordinary event that is, at least to some degree, caused by factors outside the focal individual's control. It refers to a sudden/significant event in an employee’s career (e.g. being laidoff, major organizational change(s), or unexpected promotions that prompt reflection or revaluation). Career shocks force employees to make thoughtful assessments of their positions and start the psychological analysis that goes into leaving an organization; this analysis and deliberation process may reveal that one's values and objectives do not align with the organization, after which other aspects, such as compensation and job satisfaction, are considered by employees. Furthermore, a shock event that many employees go through might not constitute a career shock for everyone involved. For an occurrence to qualify as a career shock, it must trigger thoughts of organizational support and justice and other job-related outcomes. Gaining a better understanding of career shock is crucial since research indicates that it is the primary cause of decreased organizational support and organizational justice and common triggering factor (Hofer et al., 2021; Nalis et al., 2021). This study investigates the connection between career shocks, perceived organizational support and justice, building on previous studies on the subject. The study looked into the link between duration, and controllability of career shocks and how they interact with perceived organizational support and organizational justice Review of Related Literature Career Shocks Over the years, empirical studies have focussed on how career shocks influence career decision-making, transitions, and other work-related outcomes in an increasingly vigorous and indeterminate labour market; however, these empirical studies had failed to ascertain the extents to which career shocks affect voluntary turnover intentions of employees in the public sector, particularly as it concerns developing country like Nigeria. Arising from this gap, prior studies have revealed that career shocks affect not only immediate job decision but also long-term career path. For instance, Akkermans et al. (2018) showed that career shocks lead to major career swing, predominantly for employees with high career adaptability. Moreover, the extant literature suggests that responses to career shocks are moderated by dynamics such as personality traits, support system, and prior work experience (Nalis, Kubicek & Korunka, 2021; Othman, et al, 2022; Gary, 2023). Remarkably, it has been found that employees or individuals from different backgrounds and culture may experience and respond to career shocks in different ways (Nyamori, 2020; Parsns, 2022; Gartner, 2024). Also, with the emergence of controllable career path and self-career management in the early 1990s, the issue of unexpected events such as career shocks, was not widely investigated (Akkermans, et al., 2021; Akkermans & Kubasch, 2017). Though much more is known about career shocks than a couple of years ago, however, there remains much to learn. Most recently, career shocks are increasingly widely acknowledged as vital elements of career development in the strategic human resource management literature (Akeem, 2020; Alison, 2020; Tuvulla1 & Byaruhanga, 2021; Mohammed, Mohammed & Gana, 2022; Ofobruku & Nwakoby, 2023). Recent scholarship has moved beyond defining career shocks to exploring their dimensional properties, notably: valence, frequency, intensity, duration, and controllability. Understanding these dimensions is crucial for individuals, career counsellors, and organizational leaders who aim to support effective career management in dynamic environments. Given the dynamic nature of the current labour market where employees seek to switch job consciously and the desire to obtain more greener pasture, it is vital to understand how these events (career shocks) influence organizational outcomes and more importantly organizational justice and perceived organizational support. Consequently, this study examined how career shocks at 2level (duration and controllability) influence perceived organizational support and justice of public sector employees in Nigeria. By understanding career shocks and how they affect employees, the public sector can develop strategies aimed at proactively preparing/speedily intervening, and preventing organizational shock. First, the term "duration" refers to the length of time that the effects of a career shock last; some shocks are short-lived and acute, while others can have long-lasting effects that last for months or even years. While some shocks may cause temporary disruption, others, like illness or relocation, may have long-term effects on the employees (Akkermans et al., 2021). Research indicates that longer-duration shocks are frequently associated with chronic stressors, like economic recession or longterm unemployment (Froehlich, 2021). On the other hand, shortterm shocks, like a disagreement with a supervisor, may be severe but eventually subside if handled well. The duration might not coincide with the actual shock. For example, a job loss may be a short-lived event, but its effects on one's career and mental health may last for years (Holtom et al., 2017; Alison, 2020). On the other hand, some shocks—like a bad performance review—may feel significant at first but pass fast. Researchers stress that duration affects recovery and adjustment trajectories by interacting with intensity and controllability (Akkermans et al., 2020). The literature has shown that persistent shocks can have long-term impacts on career plateauing, extended unemployment and career stagnation, and delayed professional development because of parental leave or caregiving responsibilities (Darwinbox, 2024). Second, degree to which a person believes they can control or affect the results of the career shock is known as controllability. This dimension is highly compatible with concepts like selfefficacy (Alison, 2020) and locus of control (Gartner, 2024). The degree to which employees can affect and/or manage the shock IRASS Journal of Economics and Business Management. Vol-2, Iss-11 (November-2025), 6-14 Vol-2, Iss-11 (November-2025) 8 (e.g., voluntary job change) is known as controllability of shock. Career shocks can be either internally or externally controlled, meaning they can be caused by internal factors like quitting a bad workplace or external factors like layoffs brought on by market downturns. The degree to which controllability influences how people perceive, analyse, and react to career shocks is substantial. The likelihood of proactive coping and career creation behaviours is higher among those who feel more in control (Management Note, 2024). It has been demonstrated that controllability mediates the association between career shocks and psychological well-being, employability, and job satisfaction (Akkermans et al., 2021). In addition to encouraging goal redirection and adaptation, perceived control can mitigate the detrimental emotional effects of shocks (Othman et al., 2022). Perceived Organizational Support Employees who believe their contributions are valued and that the company cares about them are said to have perceived organisational support (Mokhtari et al., 2018). Although Eisenberger supports the idea of perceived organisational support, later researchers mostly concentrated on the creation of a measurement scale, the variables influencing perceived organisational support, and the empirically demonstrated beneficial impact of perceived organisational support on employee satisfaction. Three broad types of perceived organisational support treatment—fairness, supervisor support, organisational rewards, and employment conditions—should raise perceived organisational support, according to organisational support theory (Nazem, 2017). Few studies have examined its mediating role in the relationship between organisational creativity and employee satisfaction, despite the fact that the majority of studies have evaluated the relationship between employees' views of favourable treatment and perceived organisational support. The first is supervisor support, which shows how workers acquire broad opinions about how much their contributions are valued by the company and how much they care about their welfare (i.e., perceived supervisor support). Employees see their supervisor's positive or negative attitude towards them as a sign of the organization's support because supervisors serve as representatives of the organisation, tasked with managing and assessing the performance of their subordinates. Additionally, employees understand that supervisors’ evaluations of subordinates are often conveyed to upper management, further contributing to employees’ association of supervisor support with perceived organizational support. Support from supervisors has also been assessed with related measures involving leader–member exchange (Seifzadeh & Ghaffari, 2016). Fairness comes in second; procedural justice addresses how equitable the methods are for allocating resources to staff members (Tulubas & Celep 2012). According to Yousefi and Mohammadian (2015), consistent fairness in resource allocation decisions should have a significant cumulative impact on perceived organisational support by demonstrating a care for the wellbeing of employees. George et al. (2016) made a distinction between procedural justice's social and structural components. Formal norms and procedures pertaining to decisions that impact employees are known as structural determinants. These include receiving correct information, giving employees enough notice before decisions are enacted, and allowing them to voice their opinions (i.e., employee input in the decision process). The quality of interpersonal treatment in resource allocation is one of the social dimensions of procedural justice, often known as interactional justice. Numerous research only included a collection of organisational support metrics, like rewards and better working conditions. According to Asgari et al. (2022), perceived organisational support should be positively correlated with human resource strategies that acknowledge employees' contributions. In order to foster organisational support, management might use a range of incentives and job conditions dynamics (such as compensation, job security, recognition, promotion, role autonomy, role stresses, training, etc.). Organisational support theory states that attractive reward opportunities convey a positive assessment of workers' contributions, which in turn enhances the perception of organisational support. Role autonomy is the idea that workers have control over how they do their duties, including scheduling and working methods. High autonomy should improve perceived organisational support by demonstrating the organization's faith in workers to make informed decisions about how to perform their job tasks (Jalilian & Batmani, 2022). Role stresses are demands from the workplace that employees believe they can't handle (Knoll et al., 2021). Stressors should lower perceived organisational support to the degree that workers attribute job-related stressors to circumstances that the organisation can manage rather than circumstances that are part of the job or the result of external pressures on the organisation. Job training is a discretionary practice that communicates an interest in the employee, increasing perceived organisational support, according to Yousefi and Mohammadian (2015). As far as the researcher is aware, there aren't many empirical studies that have evaluated the mediating effects of perceived organisational support in the relationship between organisational creativity and employee satisfaction of Nigeria telecommunication companies, despite the fact that it may be viewed as a mediator variable. Organizational Justice Justice is a broad, multifaceted term that is linked to the inability to recognise and rationally adhere to differences in a variety of academic fields. The degree to which employee interactions, practices, and outcomes are equitable is known as organisational justice. According to Mokhtari, Seyyedin, and Sattari (2018), different employees respond to their perceptions of organisational justice, which they define as fairness of behaviour in an organisation. According to George (2016), an organisation must be equitable in its plans for distributive, procedural, and interactional fairness in order to guarantee that its employees are dedicated, loyal, and content. According to earlier research (Smithikrai & Suwannadet, 2018; Mohktari et al., 2018), turnover intention has a substantial and inverse relationship with organisational fairness. Interestingly, employees are less likely to intend to leave their jobs when justice organisations police the law more effectively (George, 2016). Additionally, Yousefi and Mohammadian (2015) emphasised that employees are more likely to stay with an organisation if they believe it to be fair IRASS Journal of Economics and Business Management. Vol-2, Iss-11 (November-2025), 6-14 Vol-2, Iss-11 (November-2025) 9 Theoretical Framework This study was anchored on career shocks theory - a disruptive and extraordinary event that is, at least to some degree, caused by factors outside the focal individual's control and that triggers a deliberate thought process concerning one's career" (Akkermans et al., 2018). One of the most significant predictors of voluntary turnover is career shock (Holtom et al., 2017). These shocks may be due to damaging leader behaviour Naeem & Khurram, 2020), sudden job loss, or a death in the family (Akkermans et al., 2018). They may also be good, such as an unexpected promotion. People are more susceptible to negative shocks, which have been demonstrated to have a significant impact on a person's career (Nelms et al., 2022). Career shocks can also alter a person's career path, be personal or organisational, and be expected or unexpected. According to studies, career shocks can occur more than once over a person's career (Akkermans, et al., 2021), are common (Nalis et al., 2021), and can have both good and negative effects (Akkermans et al., 2018). According to Lee et al. (2017), career shock has a triggering effect that frequently prompts an assessment of other feature-based considerations, such as compensation or prospects for advancement. This analysis of one's values, surroundings, and circumstances may lead to the identification of an image violation, even if the elements involved in sense-making after a disruptive and unusual event are poorly understood (Lee et al., 2017). A person may be startled out of complacency by circumstances that have left them underemployed (Lee et al., 2017), disgruntled, or underpaid (Akkermans et al., 2020) by career shock, the reflective evaluation that goes along with it, and image violation. It has been demonstrated that a subsequent epiphany experience - a sudden clarity about one's life, purpose, and work—is linked to the feeling of career shock and the subsequent analysis and sense-making (Akkermans et al., 2020). Increased voluntary turnover intention and departure may also be influenced by these epiphanies. An "epiphany or serendipitous moment of clarity that enabled them to psychologically detach from the pre-shock status quo and transition from a staying mindset to one of leaving" is how participants describe the realisation that arises from the post-shock reflection, according to qualitative research on career shock (Wordsworth & Nilakant, 2021). Shocks have the power to bring to the surface latent and silent underlying discontent and dissatisfaction, leaving the employee feeling comparatively pleased and at ease in their pre-shock status quo. According to the researchers, high levels of embeddedness, commitment, and job satisfaction before a career shock were not accurate predictors of voluntary turnover after a career shock. Given the frequency and recurrence of career shock in people's professions, it is crucial to comprehend how it affects voluntary turnover intention. Research indicates that career shocks cause the majority of all perceived organizational support and justice (Akkermans et al., 2018). However, the career development literature does not look at career shock, and people's professional choices after a shock have not received enough attention (Akkermans et al. 2018). The connections between a professional shock and a person's personal characteristics and agentic decision-making are not well known. For those who stay with the company, voluntary turnover itself may be a career shock. The attachments of the remaining team members to the organisation may be weakened when a team member or leader leaves. When a team changes, particularly when members have worked as an interdependent team, a leader resigns, or a peer departs, these weakened attachments may cause one or more colleagues to leave. On the other hand, when an employee departs with whom co-workers have had interpersonal conflict, turnover intentions may decrease. The impact on those who remain with the company can be extremely good when a negative employee who has a proven negative impact leaves. Although not all shock events are career shocks, many people experience shock experiences that have an impact on their careers. Not everyone interprets an event or feels its consequences in the same way. Some people experience a career shock as a result of an external incident, while others do not experience any impact on their professional path, increase their voluntary turnover intention, or quit as a result of the event (Akkermans et al., 2020). One individual may see a single shock event to be the impetus behind a choice to leave their job voluntarily, while another may see it as the last straw in a string of career shocks. Due to the interdependence of the world, many people experienced a career shock as a result of the external occurrence of COVID-19 pandemic. Despite being a worldwide phenomenon, the pandemic brought to light variations in settings, mindsets, and actions, and the temporal nature of shock impacts emerged. These variations show how norms can vary among countries, industries, and communities, as well as the wide range of complicated elements that impact voluntary turnover behaviour in reaction to a shock. Strategic human resource management (SHRM) has been criticised for lacking a multi-stakeholder perspective and being overly centred on organisational self-interest. By examining the relationship between the organisation and its employees as well as turnover considerations from an individual's point of view, the study of career shock and the insights that follow help to broaden the scope of SHRM. Examining the career shock experiences of current employees provides valuable information about how turnover intention and transition considerations are formed and how these factors relate to psychological and physical health. More often than not, the organisational perspective of job satisfaction has been used to analyse employees' health and well-being instead of the employee's viewpoint. Employee wellness has been linked to career shock, which also sheds light on how destabilising events affect an individual's health. These observations are crucial because, even if an employee may exhibit high levels of involvement and job happiness, a sudden sickness in the family might cause both intention and actual turnover. Career shock has not received much attention in job search studies, despite being a factor in most voluntary turnover intentions (Akkermans, et al., 2021). Given that career shock typically sets off search behaviour, this creates a void in the research on job searches. Career shock must be included in SHRM and job search studies in order to enhance organisational and human resource strategy. Organisations can strengthen retention efforts and lessen the destabilising effects of career shocks on voluntary turnover intentions of employees. IRASS Journal of Economics and Business Management. Vol-2, Iss-11 (November-2025), 6-14 Vol-2, Iss-11 (November-2025) 10 Methodology We used the quantitative research design (cross-sectional survey) in investigating the extents to which career shocks influence the level of perceived organizational support and justice of employees in the Nigerian public sector. Relying on the crosssectional survey design, a population of 30,387 employees were obtained from 8 Local Government Councils (LGCs) in Delta State, Nigeria (the LGCs were Ethiope West, Okpe, Ethiope East, Udu, Sapele, Ughelli North, Uvwie and Ughelli South). Specifically, the focus of the study was on the LGCs’ headquarters. The study used the Taro-Yamane sample size formula in obtaining a sample of 395 out of which 377 were obtained in the survey. The data collection instrument is the questionnaire, which was designed on a 4-point Likert scale of strongly agree, agree, disagree, and strongly disagree Pilot test involving 50 respondents was obtained from other LGCs in Delta State that do not form part of this study. Data obtained were analyzed using Cronbach alpha reliability to determine the internal consistency of the research instrument. Table 1: Cronbach Alpha Results Items Cronbach Alpha Index Career Shocks Duration of Shock Controllability of Shock 077 0.89 Perceived Organizational Support Organizational Justice 0.79 0.71 Source: Researchers’ Computation (2025) Furthermore, multiple regression models were employed in examining the effects of career shocks variables on perceived organizational support and organizational justice as follows: PoS = f(DorSh, CoSh) - eq. 1 OrgJust = f(DorSh, CoSh) - eq. 2 Posi = β0+ β1DorShi + β2CoSh i + ui - eq. 3 OrgJusti = β0+ β1DorShi + β2CoSh i + ui - eq. 4 Where: DorSh is duration of shock; CoSh is controllability of shock; PoS is perceived organizational support; OrgJust is organizational justice; U is error term; Β is intercept; β1-β2 are coefficients of independent variables. Data obtained were analyzed using descriptive (mean, standard deviation, skewness, kurtosis and Pearson correlation); post-estimation statistics (BreuchPagan/Cook-Weisberg and Ramsey regression specification-error test for omitted variables); and inferential statistics (multiple regression models). Results Table 2: Descriptive Statistics Statistics Pos Orgjust Dorsh Cosh Mean 3.436 3.077 3.424 3.480 Standard Deviation .4313 .4268 .3296 .3195 Skewness -.5409 -.3577 -.396 .1026 Kurtosis 2.6290 3.8685 3.639 2.203 Source: Researchers’ Computation (2025) Table 2 is the results of career shocks, (duration – dorsh; and controllability – cosh) perceived organizational support (pos( and organizational justice (orgjust). The results revealed that all mean values were above 4-point rating scale of 2.50; this result implies that majority of the respondents agreed that the questionnaire items are reliable indicators for variables of assessing career shock, perceived organizational support and justice. Values of the standard deviation showed signs of small dispersion ; indicating that respondent’ views on career shocks, perceived organizational support and justice are not too dispersed from each other. Furthermore, kurtosis values appeared to have scores in their tails; however, no scores were far away from the mean (it has no tail). Skewness result revealed that pos, orgjust, and dorsh skewed towards one direction (negatively skewed), while cosh skewed towards one direction (positively skwewed). Interestingly, kurtosis and skewness values clearly indicate a normal spread of data; thus, the datasets satisfy normality condition. IRASS Journal of Economics and Business Management. Vol-2, Iss-11 (November-2025), 6-14 Vol-2, Iss-11 (November-2025) 11 Table 3: Pearson Correlation Pos Orgjust Dorsh Cosh Pos 1.000 Orgjust 0.115 1.000 Dorsh 0.085 -0.066 1.000 Cosh -0.066 0.027 0.189 1.000 Source: Researchers’ Computation (2025) Table 3 is Pearson correlation of variables Pos, Orgjust dorsh, and cosh;. The result revealed that orgjust is positively correlated with inosh. On the other hand, pos is negatively correlated with dorsh and cosh. This indicates that there is positive link between organizational justice, and intensity of shock. On the other hand, there is negative link between perceived organizational support, duration of shock, and controllability of shock. Table 4: Breusch-Pagan/Cook-Weisberg Test Result Chi2(1) = 13.36 Prob. > Chi2 = 0.0054 Source: Researchers’ Computation (2025) Table 4 is the Breusch-Pagan/Cook-Wesiberg test for heteroskedasticity; the Breusch-Pagan/Cook-Weisberg result is statistically significant at 5 percent level (Chi2 (1) = 13.36; Prob. < Chi2 = 0.0054), indicating the non-existence of heteroskedasticity in the empirical models of career shocks, perceived organizational support and justice Table 5: Ramsey Regression Specification-Error test for omitted variables F(3, 368) = 10.36 Prob. > F = 0.0078 Source: Researchers’ Computation (2025) Table 5 is the Ramsey Regression Specification-Error test for omitted variables; Ramsey RESET result is statistically significant at 5 percent level (F 3, 368) = 10.36; Prob. < F = 0.0078), indicating that the empirical model has no omitted variables problems; hence, the empirical model of the study has no functional form misspecification and can therefore be relied upon. Table 6: Regression Results for Career Shocks and Perceived Organizational Support Variance-weighted least-squares regression Number of obs = 317 Goodness-of-fit chi2(71) = 118.22 Model chi2(5) = 8.54 Prob > chi2 = 0.0004; R-squared = 0.207 Prob > chi2 = 0.1289 pos Coef. Std. Err. z P>z [95% Conf. Interval] dorsh -.0216107 .0673916 -0.32 0.748 -.1536958 .1104744 cosh -.0338976 .0603806 -0.56 0.575 -.1522414 .0844462 _cons 3.383841 .3226054 10.49 0.000 2.751546 4.016136 Source: Researchers’ Computation (2025) Table 6 showed that value of R-squared is 0.207; this implies that all the dimensions of career shocks accounted for approximately 20.7percent of the systematic variance in perceived organizational support while unexplained variation was 79%. This suggests that there were other variables not included in the empirical model of the study which have the ability to predict perceived organizational support by 79%. The Model Chi2(3) (8.54) with a p-value of 0.1289 indicates that the result is insignificant at 5 percent; thus, career shocks variables do not jointly predict perceived organizational support. Furthermore, coefficients were dorsh (-0.021), and cosh (- 0.033); this indicates that a unit increase in duration, and controllability of career shocks would lead to 2.1percent and 3.3percent increase in perceived organizational support respectively. Z-value for duration of shock (-0.32), and controllability of shock (-0.56) were found to be statistically insignificant in explaining perceived organisational support. Findings indicated that career shocks (duration and controllability) insignificantly affect perceived organizational support. This finding disagrees with the results of Mokhtari et al. (2018) and agrees with the results of Nazem (2017). IRASS Journal of Economics and Business Management. Vol-2, Iss-11 (November-2025), 6-14 Vol-2, Iss-11 (November-2025) 12 Table 7: Regression Results for Career Shocks and Organizational Justice Variance-weighted least-squares regression Number of obs = 328 Goodness-of-fit chi2(76) = 65.88 Model chi2(5) = 8.50 Prob > chi2 = 0.7898; R-squared = 0.310 Prob > chi2 = 0.1307 orgjust Coef. Std. Err. Z P>z [95% Conf. Interval] valsh .1595039 .0734177 2.17 0.030 .0156079 .3033999 freqsh -.0654641 .0519459 -1.26 0.208 -.1672762 .036348 inosh .0007205 .0424857 0.02 0.986 -.08255 .083991 dorsh -.033222 .0636343 -0.52 0.602 -.1579428 .0914989 cosh .0713957 .0571587 1.25 0.212 -.0406333 .1834247 _cons 2.641121 .3259864 8.10 0.000 2.002199 3.280042 Source: Researchers’ Computation (2025) Table 7 showed that value of R-squared is 0.310; this implies that all the dimensions of career shocks accounted for approximately 31percent of the systematic variance in organizational justice while the unexplained variation was 69. This suggests that there were other variables not included in the empirical model of the study which have the ability to predict organizational justice by 69%. The Model Chi2(3) (8.50) with a pvalue of 0.1307 indicates that the result is insignificant at 5 percent; thus, career shocks variables do not jointly predict organizational justice. Coefficients were dorsh (-0.033), and cosh (0.071); this indicates that a unit increase in duration, and controllability of career shocks would lead to 3.3percent and 7.1percent increase in organizational justice respectively. The Z-value for duration of shock (-0.52), controllability of shock (1.25) were found to be statistically insignificant in explaining organizational justice. Findings indicated that career shocks (duration and controllability) insignificantly affect organisational justice. This finding corroborates with the results of Mokhtari, et al (2018); and Gregorius, et al (2023). Conclusion and Recommendations This study investigated the extent to which career shocks influence the level of perceived organizational support and organizational justice in the Nigerian public sector. Two-levels of career shocks were used namely, duration, and controllability of shocks; thus, the dependent variables were re organizational support and organizational justice while the independent variable is career shocks, which were measured in terms of duration and controllability of shocks. The study used a survey of 377 employees selected from 8 local government councils in Delta State, Nigeria. Data obtained in the survey were evaluated using ia descriptive, post-estimation and inferential statistical tools. Findings indicated insignificant influence of career shocks on the level of perceived organisational support and organizational justice in the Nigerian public sector. Thus, the study concludes that career shocks (particularly duration and controllability of shocks) insignificantly influence the level of perceived organisational support, and justice in the Nigerian public sector. The study therefore recommends that the public sector should remain resolute in communicating support mechanisms for employees to become aware and feel supported. Also, the public sector should constantly obtain feedbacks on employees’ support services to enhance and tailor them. Furthermore, because career shocks do not affect organizational justice, there is the need to continuously reinforce fair policies and transparent decision-making to sustain organizational justice; this is required to promote awareness about organizational justice principles among employees and public sector management in order to keep perceptions about organizational justice positive. 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