Adapting to changes

As human beings, maintaining balance is a fundamental need. However, the rapid changes happening in the world may sometimes exceed our ability to adapt. Many resist change, especially when we are already comfortable with the status quo. How we respond to change is influenced by factors such as adaptability, stress management, flexibility, resilience, and the support we receive from our surroundings (Reupert, 2020). It is interesting to observe that individuals perceive and respond to change differently, with some seeing it as a challenge while others view it as a threat.

Furthermore, organisations are increasingly recognising the possibility of unexpected changes occurring at any time in this VUCA world. Therefore, having employees who can adapt swiftly to these changes is crucial. Adaptation to change on the employee level is defined as the behavioural and attitudinal adjustments and modifications, necessary to adapt to changes in the work environment (Cameron 1984). Employees who alter their usual work habits to adapt to changes at work or to maintain performance in the face of change are said to be performing adaptively.

So, how can we possibly identify one’s potential to adapt and perform at work? This can be achieved by the Wave? behavioural assessments, developed based on the Wave? model which consists of four behavioural clusters (refer to Figure 1.0). Fundamentally, this model is correlated with the Big Five Personality Model – a widely accepted personality theory held by many psychologists and practitioners today.

Zooming into the Adaptability cluster, it looks into one’s resilience (emotional adaptability) on how an individual conveys their self-confidence, stays composed and resolves conflict. It also looks into one’s flexibility (behavioural adaptability) in adjusting to changes, such as how one thinks positively towards the changes, how an individual embraces changes and how receptive the person is towards feedback given. Lastly, it also covers the supportive (social adaptability) section which looks into the attentiveness of an individual, teamwork involvement and how likely one would value others. These are all the essential components reflecting one's level of adaptability.

To find out more about you or your team's adaptability level, drop us a message at People Psyence? !