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Employees’ Adaptability and Perceptions of Change-Related Uncertainty: Implications for Perceived Organizational Support, Job Satisfaction, and Performance

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Abstract

Purpose

The literature on organizational change has increasingly recognized that characteristics of change recipients influence their reactions to workplace change. Yet little is known about the influence of employees’ adaptability and change-related uncertainty on their interpretation of organizational actions. We examined these antecedents and the mediating role of perceived organizational support as explanations for employees’ job satisfaction and performance.

Design/Methodology/Approach

A survey was administered to material handling employees from two organizations. Employees completed measures of individual adaptability, uncertainty experienced regarding changes in the workplace, support received from the organization, and job satisfaction. Performance data were collected from the records of one organization.

Findings

Results from both samples support the role of perceived organizational support as a mediator of the relationship between employees’ adaptability and perceptions of change-related uncertainty and employees’ satisfaction and performance.

Implications

Change is a frequent occurrence in today’s workplace; thus, improving employee satisfaction and performance requires the consideration of change-related perceptions and individuals’ dispositions relevant to change. The present study offers insights regarding how organizations may help improve perceptions of organizational support by reducing perceived uncertainty as well as identifying employees who may need assistance to adapt to workplace changes.

Originality/Value

Despite practitioners’ expressed interest, there is scant research examining employees’ adaptability and change-related uncertainty. We provide the first evidence explaining how and why these variables impact important workplace outcomes and extend existing theory by identifying appraisals of the organization (and not the self) as a mechanism explaining stressor–strain relationships.

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Notes

  1. Results for the full set of alternative models are available upon request from the first author.

  2. Results for the models testing whether perceived organizational support was a moderator are available upon request from the first author.

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Acknowledgments

Data collection was supported by a grant from the Material Handling Industry of America and College Industry Council on Material Handling Education. We would like to thank Mike Ogle and Gary Forger for their support of this project; and Dr. Bob Eisenberger for reviewing an earlier version of this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research, Innovation, and Product Development, Center for Creative Leadership, Greensboro, NC, USA

    Kristin L. Cullen

  2. Department of Management, Eastin Center for Person Centric Leadership, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, USA

    Bryan D. Edwards

  3. Department of Management, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, USA

    Wm. Camron Casper

  4. Department of Industrial Engineering, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA

    Kevin R. Gue

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  1. Kristin L. Cullen
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  2. Bryan D. Edwards
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Correspondence to Kristin L. Cullen.

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Cullen, K.L., Edwards, B.D., Casper, W.C. et al. Employees’ Adaptability and Perceptions of Change-Related Uncertainty: Implications for Perceived Organizational Support, Job Satisfaction, and Performance. J Bus Psychol 29, 269–280 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10869-013-9312-y

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