Psychological capital, adaptability, coping with change, and employee engagement in a multinational company

The Global Financial Crisis (GFC) affected many organizations across the world. There are numerous studies that have examined the financial impacts on organizations and employees but few that have investigated the human capabilities and qualities of employees who survived the crisis. The current study examined the relationships among Psychological Capital (PsyCap: involving self-efficacy, optimism, hope and resilience), individual and organizational adaptability in handling change, and employee engagement after the GFC of 2009, in a multinational organization with headquarters in Europe. The sample totaled 183 employees from across Europe, the US, and Asia. The Psychological Capital Questionnaire, the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale, the Coping with Organizational Change scale, and a specially developed selfassessment scale assessing perceived personal and company adaptation. PsyCap significantly predicted coping with organizational change, the adaptation demonstrated in handling the GFC, and the engagement levels of the employees in each region. The similarities in the models across each region suggest that organizational managers and HR will find value in understanding and using Psychological Capital in their recruitment, selection and employee enhancement programs.