Building employee adaptability through playful work design and ambidexterity: a self-regulated mechanism to adapt to service industry uncertainty

Abstract

This PhD dissertation explores the complex dynamics of employee adaptability, proactive personality traits, and service performance within the context of frontline banking employees in Vietnam. By analyzing empirical data from 399 banking staff, the study employs structural equation modeling to validate all research hypotheses, offering essential managerial strategies for enhancing proactive service performance and uncovering a novel self-regulatory adapting mechanism for service staff. At the heart of this study lies the fundamental importance of understanding what drives adaptability in the workplace. This dissertation first examines the role of proactive personality traits as a key driver of employee ambidexterity, highlighting the significance of individual characteristics in fostering adaptive behaviors among service professionals. Moreover, the study underscores the crucial role of adaptability resources in predicting ambidextrous behavior and proactive service performance. Not only that, by exploring the mediating effects of hardiness, uncertainty adaptability, and learning adaptability, the research reveals the alternative pathways through which proactive personality traits influence employee ambidexterity. Additionally, the study looks into the role of playful work design (PWD) as a facilitator of employee adaptation. By demonstrating the positive mediating effect of PWD on the relationship between proactive personality and employee ambidexterity, the research highlights the transformative potential of organizational interventions in promoting ambidextrous behaviors among employees. Furthermore, we uncover the sequential mediating roles of playful work design and uncertainty adaptability/learning adaptability in the relationship between proactive personality and employee ambidexterity. This highlights the interconnectedness of individual traits and personal resource factors in shaping adaptive behaviors and underscores the need for holistic approaches to fostering employee adaptability. Finally, the study investigates the moderating role of workplace compassion among service staff, revealing its amplifying effect on the positive impact of ambidextrous behaviors on proactive service performance. This underscores the importance of nurturing a supportive and empathetic workplace culture to maximize the benefits of employee adaptability. v All in all, this dissertation provides valuable insights into the self-regulatory mechanism of employee adaptability in the service workplace and expects to offer practical recommendations for enhancing service proactive performance in the face of uncertainty. Moving forward, the study calls for continued exploration and research in this area, advocating for longitudinal studies and cross-national, cross-industry comparisons to further advance knowledge and practice in fostering employee adaptability.