The Ability of Psychological Flexibility and Job Control to Predict Learning, Job Performance, and Mental Health

Abstract

Summary This longitudinal study tested the degree to which an individual characteristic, psychological flexibility, and a work organization variable, job control, predicted ability to learn new skills at work, job performance, and mental health, amongst call center workers in the United Kingdom (N = 448). As hypothesized, results indicated that job control, psychological flexibility, and the synergistic interaction between the two, predicted people's ability to learn a new computer software program, as well as their mental health and job performance, which was objectively measured. Discussion focuses on the implications of these, and previous findings, for organizational behavior.