Dispositional resistance to change and emotional exhaustion: moderating effects at the work-unit level |
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Authors: | Sarah Turgut Alexandra Michel Lisa Maria Rothenhöfer Karlheinz Sonntag |
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Affiliation: | 1. Department of Work and Organizational Psychology, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germanysarah.turgut@psychologie.uni-heidelberg.de;3. Department of Work and Organizational Psychology, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany |
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Abstract: | Organizational change, although essential for business success, may negatively impact employees’ well-being. Based on person–environment fit theory, the authors investigate employees’ dispositional resistance to change as it impacts emotional exhaustion. Furthermore, the authors examine boundary conditions that may affect dispositional resistance to change and its influence on emotional exhaustion. They take a trait activation approach and test the moderating roles of two work-unit-level internal contextual factors: perceived organizational support and informational team climate. Using a longitudinal research design of 709 participants in 30 work units, multilevel analyses reveal that dispositional resistance to change (time 1) is positively related to emotional exhaustion (time 2). Moreover, a lack of perceived organizational support and a high informational team climate strengthen these effects. The authors conclude that organizations should offer coaching and training programmes to cope with organizational change for employees who are highly change resistant. Furthermore, personal and organizational development strategies should consider the insights gained from the study regarding internal contextual factors that moderate change management processes. |
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Keywords: | emotional exhaustion organizational change perceived organizational support resistance to change team climate |
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