Beyond mediation: Direct effects of psychological capital on adaptive performance
Purpose: Employees’ adaptive performance is critical for responding effectively to dynamic and uncertain work environments. This study addresses inconsistent findings regarding the role of motivational mechanisms in linking psychological capital to adaptive performance by examining the mediating role of work engagement. Method: A quantitative survey design was employed, involving 158 employees from the Sales and Field Management Division of PT Fastrata Buana. Data were analyzed using mediation regression. Results: The findings reveal that work engagement does not mediate the relationship between psychological capital and adaptive performance (β = 0.002, p = 0.973). Psychological capital significantly influences work engagement (β = 0.643, p = 0.001), while work engagement does not significantly predict adaptive performance (β = 0.087, p = 0.249). Instead, psychological capital exerts a significant direct effect on adaptive performance (β = 0.625, p = 0.001), indicating that employees’ personal resources play a central role in enabling adaptability to changing work demands. Conclusion: These findings challenge the assumption in JD-R Theory that motivational states universally mediate the effects of personal resources, suggesting that psychological capital may function as a proximal driver of adaptive performance independent of work engagement. The results indicate a significant direct effect of psychological capital on adaptive performance (β = 0.625, p = 0.001). Unlike prior studies emphasizing mediation mechanisms, this study supports a direct-effect model of psychological capital on adaptive performance and highlights the importance of developing psychological capital to enhance employee adaptability in dynamic organizational environments.