Employee volunteering, knowledge integration, and career sustainability: the moderating role of competitive orientation

PurposeIn the context of digital transformation and intensified global competition, career sustainability has become a core issue for both organizational and individual development. This study investigates how employee volunteering influences career sustainability by examining the mediating role of knowledge integration and the moderating role of competitive orientation.Design/Methodology/ApproachBased on social learning theory, a three-wave time-lagged survey was conducted among 293 employees from Chinese internet companies. The study employed hierarchical regression analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and moderated mediation analysis to test the hypothesized relationships.FindingsThe results show that employee volunteering positively affects career sustainability through the mediating effect of knowledge integration, and that this effect is weakened by higher levels of competitive orientation.OriginalityThis study develops an integrated framework linking company-supported employee volunteering to career sustainability through knowledge integration, thereby extending research on how prosocial activities may contribute to sustainable careers. It further extends research on competitive orientation by identifying it as a boundary condition, thus offering actionable insights into balancing competition and collaboration in organizational contexts.Practical implicationsOur research findings provide a better understanding of the mechanisms linking volunteering and career development and offer managers and policymakers useful guidance on promoting employees’ long-term development through volunteering initiatives.