Abstract

Introduction Professional development is increasingly recognized as a key component of sustainable careers, particularly in demanding sectors such as mining. However, limited evidence exists on how perceived organizational support relates to professional development, pay satisfaction, and work-life balance across generational cohorts in this context.Methods This study examined the relationship between Perceived Organizational Support (POS) and Professional Development (PD) in Chile' s mining sector and explored whether POS was associated with Pay Satisfaction (PS) and Work-Life Balance (WLB). It also assessed generational differences across Generations X, Y, and Z. The model was estimated using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) with a sample of 203 employees.Results The results showed that POS was positively associated with PD, as well as with WLB and PS. In contrast, neither PS nor WLB was significantly associated with PD. Multigroup analysis suggested that the relationship between POS and pay satisfaction may be stronger for Generation X than for Generation Z.Discussion These findings provide empirical evidence of a relationship that remains underexplored in extractive industries in developing-country contexts and underscore the relevance of POS as a structuring resource for sustainable career trajectories and professional development processes. From a practical standpoint, the study suggests the potential value of considering generational differences in talent management strategies. Methodological limitations are acknowledged, and directions for future research are proposed, including longitudinal designs and comparative sectoral approaches.