Career adaptability and ambidextrous behavior among customer-service representatives: the role of perceived organizational support

Abstract

With the increasing need for dynamism in the world, organizations and researchers have been interested in how employees can easily cope with change and be flexible on the job by using their foreknowledge and still being open to new ideas to boost their work output. Consequently, there has been an increase in research on ambidexterity. However, much is still unknown regarding the determinants of individual-level ambidexterity. This article examines the importance of career adaptability resources in predicting employees’ ambidextrous behavior and service performance. Our study also demonstrates the mediation role of ambidexterity in the career adaptability–service performance relationship as well as the moderating role of perceived organizational support (POS) in the ambidexterity–service performance relationship. Data were collected from 443 service representatives of telecommunication organizations in two timepoints. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test the research hypotheses. SEM results show that career adaptability positively relates to ambidextrous behavior and service performance. While POS interacts with ambidexterity to positively predict service performance, ambidexterity serves as a mechanism through which career adaptability influences service performance. The study provides insight for practitioners to offer adequate guidance and a supportive working environment for both existing and prospective employees toward training and performance.