The Difference between Coping and Winning: The Relationships of Adaptive Performance, Engagement, and Conscientiousness

Abstract

The workplace is changing, be it due to the requirements of business or the advancement of technology. Understanding which employees can adapt to changes, and linking that Adaptivity to desired organizational outcomes is a necessary step towards getting ahead of the changes. 331 participants responded to an online survey involving Adaptivity, engagement, and conscientiousness. Adaptivity was shown to be correlated with self-reported Adaptive Performance on the job. The fit between Adaptivity and the requirements of the job was shown to successfully predict engagement when taken as an overall fit as well as within the dimensions of openness to criticism and flexibility of opinion. The link between conscientiousness and engagement was shown to be partially mediated by Adaptivity. Employees who can adapt to situations will continue to necessary as technology and the workplace change and evolve. These links may bring us one step closer to fully understanding, evaluating, and measuring adaptation.