Agility

Doeze Jager, S. B., Born, M. P., & van der Molen, H. T. (2022). The relationship between organizational trust, resistance to change and adaptive and proactive employees’ agility in an unplanned and planned change context. Applied Psychology: An International Review, 71(2), 436–460. https://discovery.ebsco.com/c/4ax45t/viewer/pdf/jws2ajghjf

The study titled "The Relationship Between Organizational Trust, Resistance to Change and Adaptive and Proactive Employees' Agility in an Unplanned and Planned Change Context" explores the dynamics of employee agility, organizational trust, and resistance to change in both unplanned and planned change scenarios. Here are the key findings and implications drawn from the study:

1. Employee Agility and Change Contexts:

   • Employee agility is crucial for navigating the rapidly evolving workplace, particularly during periods of change.

   • Adaptive agility involves modifying behavior to fit new environments, while proactive agility entails anticipating and innovating solutions to change-related problems.

   • Unplanned changes are experienced as riskier by employees and may rely more on intuitive understanding, while planned changes are approached with more logic and deliberation.

2. Organizational Trust and Resistance to Change:

   • Organizational trust is a significant predictor of employee attitudes and actions related to change.

   • Trust in the organization decreases resistance to change, as employees feel confident that management considers their well-being during change implementation.

   • Resistance to change is higher among employees who perceive low fulfillment of organizational promises.

3. Study Findings:

   • There is a negative relationship between organizational trust and resistance to change, indicating that higher trust leads to lower resistance.

   • Organizational trust does not directly affect employee agility but influences it indirectly through resistance to change.

   • Effective resistance to change mediates the relationship between organizational trust and adaptive agility, implying that employees with higher trust are less resistant to change and more adaptive.

   • Similarly, resistance to change mediates the relationship between organizational trust and proactive agility, suggesting that higher trust leads to lower resistance, which in turn enhances proactive agility.

4. Implications:

   • Employee agility interventions should focus on both adaptive and proactive aspects, tailored to the change context.

   • Enhancing organizational trust among employees and supervisors can decrease resistance to change and improve agility.

   • Foster a learning-oriented organizational culture where employees are supported in developing agility.

   • Continuous efforts are needed to build and maintain organizational trust through transparent communication and fulfilling promises.

   • Prepare employees for change, whether planned or unplanned, through proactive measures and clear communication.

Overall, the study underscores the importance of organizational trust and its indirect effects on employee agility through resistance to change, highlighting the need for targeted interventions to foster agility in dynamic work environments.