Adaptive performance in the work environment refers to adjusting to and understanding change in the workplace.
Several predictors of adaptive performance have been examined systematically, including cognitive abilities,[4] Big Five personality traits,[5][6] and goal orientation.
It has been long recognized that work stress generally has a negative effects on job performance,[11] but there is differential influence resulting from different perceptions of stressors.
In the primary appraisal stage, individuals evaluate what potential threats there will be, concerning the demands from situation and the goals and values of themselves.
[12] Challenge appraisals mean that individuals feel their resources, like abilities and social support to be abundant sufficient to fulfill requirements of the situation.
Threat appraisals, on the other hand, mean that individuals are not confident about their abilities or other resources to respond to the situation demands.
Challenging rather than threatening appraisals would lead to higher levels of self-efficacy, and thus benefit individuals' adaptive performance.
Team adaptive performance is defined as an emergent phenomenon that compiles over time from the unfolding of a recursive cycle whereby one or more team members use their resources to functionally change current cognitive or behavioral goal-directed action or structures to meet expected or unexpected demands.
The four core constructs characterizing this adaptive cycle include: (1) situation assessment; (2) plan formulation; (3) plan execution, via adaptive interaction processes; and (4) team learning, as well as emergent cognitive states (i.e., shared mental models, team situational awareness, psychological safety), which serve as both proximal outcomes and inputs to this cycle.
People have identified several dispositional and contextual factors that would affect team adaptive performance.
[28] Organizations value adaptive performance in the leadership characteristics an individual possess, as it has proven to help workers maintain productivity in a dynamic work environment.
[29] For leaders to successfully perform their roles, they must be able to effectively address tasks and also be able to overcome social challenges.
[31] Instead of resisting change in the workplace, a team leader with adaptive performance establishes a new behavior appropriate to the situation to shift a potential problem into a positive outcome.
[31] In organizational situations where adaptability to the environment and difficult challenges occur often, an individual who possess transformational leadership is preferred.
[33] This particular leadership style is commonly used in organizations, due to its positive outcomes such as higher work engagement, motivation, and creativity in employees.
[33] An individual showcasing transformational leadership has the ability to encourage more adaptive and productive behavior within team members through presenting new ideas and possible outcomes in the workplace.
[33] An individual who displays leadership adaptability is one who is able to adjust their thoughts and behavior to attain appropriate responses to complex situations helping them make appropriate decisions.
[35] A leader must make decisions and be adaptable to any organizational changes in order for the team to collectively continue workplace productivity.
[27] An adaptive leader makes decisions to perform a specific action to better fit the organization and help it become productive.