Resilience (RES), cognitive flexibility (CF) and monitoring (MON) account for outperformance amongst employees, leading to increasing interest in employee dispositions predicting aforementioned outcomes. There is also an increased focus in the modern workplace on reflective working approaches. The present study investigated need for cognition (NFC) as a predictor of RES and the serial mediating role of MON and CF using the framework of reflective practice.
The study was conducted with 512 individuals (mean age: 36.369, mean work experience: 12.731) using a cross-sectional research design and covariance-based structural equation modelling. Necessary hygiene steps of construct-wise confirmatory factor analysis, measurement invariance testing and progressively complex structural models were taken.
NFC was a significant predictor of RES. MON partially mediated the effect of NFC on CF. MON and CF together completely mediated the effect of NFC on RES.
The study linked NFC to RES, which has gained significance at the workplace. It assessed the serial mediating effect of MON and CF on the association between NFC and RES. The study also explored implications for human resource managers at the workplace.
