Exploratory analysis on learning behaviours that favour job crafting

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this research is to determine key behaviours to be efficient in identifying and developing employees' talent. The article aims to address the relationship between learning agility and job crafting, the influence between them, and how this relationship is built to improve performance and adaptability. For this purpose, the research has analysed which behaviours obtain the highest scores in both scales (job crafting and learning agility), designing the tool which allows Human Resources (HR) professionals an efficient identification and development behaviours to get the versatile talent that companies and professionals of the future need.Design/methodology/approachUsing the questionnaire that has integrated the learning agility scale and the Spanish job crafting scale. Data were collected from a sample of business professionals in Spain. Factor analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis were used, using a classificatory variable with the 126 valid responses obtained.FindingsIn an ever-changing environment, continuous employee adaptation to his/her role within a company is a critical factor for its survival. However, there is a paucity of large-scale empirical research on which behaviours employees have to develop to increase their adaptative skills. Drawing on the outcome of extant literature, the authors identify learning agility as the construct that firms have to encourage in their employees to impact job crafting. The contribution of the paper is twofold: (1) the authors empirically explored the association and the effects of learning agility and its factor on the development of job crafting. Results demonstrated the association between the two constructs; further, higher scores in both learning agility and job crafting predict increased employability, and higher scores in job crafting are associated with higher scores in change agility; (2) this study provides a multidimensional instrument that provides HR departments with the key behaviours to recruit in order to develop talent to prepare employees to face future challenges, ensuring the right performance and sustainable impact in the environment.Research limitations/implicationsA limitation of this study is that it is done exclusively within Spanish companies, even though from different industries and with different characteristics. Therefore, future research is necessary and should be conducted in other countries in similar industries to explore the empirical findings from this study in additional contexts.Practical implicationsThis research has found a tool that might allow HR departments to measure what level of job crafting and learning agility their employees have and to identify what key behaviours they need to focus on in the recruitment or in their internal strategic HR action plan to overcome any future challenges in their organization.Social implicationsIn a scenario where artificial intelligence is modifying the professional landscape, generating uncertainty about which skills are best to develop, the results are a guide for enterprises as to where to focus plans for learning and training, as well as for business schools regarding the content provided in training programs.Originality/valueThe authors advance the literature by providing a theoretical base for understanding the relationship between job crafting and learning agility. This article offers some practical managerial recommendations that help the human resources department focus on behaviours that allow talent to be identified and recruited to ensure an effective organization.