Proposing Career Path Management Strategies to Address Employee Career Stuckness: A Case Study at PT Perta Samtan Gas

Authors

  • Mohammad Irwan Trimulyono Institut Teknologi Bandung

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.58344/locus.v5i8.5993

Keywords:

career stuckness, career path management, organizational structure, governance of career system, McKinsey 7S Framework

Abstract

PT Perta Samtan Gas (PSGas) is a mature joint venture gas processing company within Indonesia’s state-owned energy ecosystem, governed by a Shareholders’ Agreement (SHA) that requires consensus between both parties’ Boards of Directors for all strategic decisions. This study employed a mixed-methods sequential explanatory design that integrated a structured questionnaire administered to 126 direct-hire employees (90.6% of the 139-employee population, exceeding the planned minimum sample of 105), analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) with SmartPLS 3.0, and in-depth interviews with eleven key informants representing five organizational levels, analyzed through open, axial, and selective thematic coding. The findings confirmed that career stuckness was prevalent, with an overall Career Stuckness (CS) mean score of 4.13 (categorized as high) and 61.1% of employees having remained unpromoted for more than five years. The PLS-SEM analysis revealed that Organizational Structure (ORS) had a positive effect on Career Stuckness (B = +0.592, p < 0.001), while Governance of Career System (GCS) had a negative effect on Career Stuckness (B = -0.343, p < 0.001), with a combined explanatory power of R² = 0.595. The qualitative analysis identified three root causes: SHA governance constraints, the rigidity of the Pertamina Group system, and Indonesian–Korean cultural differences among shareholders. Based on these findings, this study proposed an Integrated Career Path Management Framework using the McKinsey 7S Alignment Model, organized into three implementation phases: short-term (Staff, Style, Skills), medium-term (Systems, Structure), and long-term (Strategy, Shared Values). The framework was designed to operate within existing SHA governance constraints and aimed to reduce Career Stuckness from 4.13 to below 3.67 (medium category) through simultaneous improvements in governance mechanisms and career development infrastructure.

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Published

2026-08-21