This paper aims to explore the significant synergistic effect of five positive cognitive outlooks, grounded in positive psychology, collectively called the combined cognitive outlook (CCO). The synergistic effects have been deliberated in relation to the broaden-and-build theory and psychological resource theory. Next, the reliability and validity of the CCO instrument were scrutinised. This article presents an integrated paradigm for the CCO’s influence on employee subjective well-being (SWB) and career adaptability (CAA), grounded in the Conservation of Resources (COR) theory. Additionally, this research represents the initial attempt to investigate the mediating effect of CAA predicated on the COR theory.
The prospective IT employees were followed for 12 weeks. Data was collected online at three different time points. The CCO scale was administered online in July 2023. The CAA and SWB questionnaires were completed in August 2023 and September 2023, respectively. A total of 546 completed responses were used for further analysis.
The results indicated that CCO positively predicted SWB and CAA, while it had a stronger impact on CAA. Additionally, CAA partially mediated the positive influence of CCO on SWB.
Additionally, career counsellors will be able to determine the CCO propensity for fostering employee adaptability and SWB, thereby facilitating career success and helping employees enhance their adaptability, improve employability and achieve sustainable careers.
The uniqueness of this study lies in its scrutiny of the synergistic impact of cognitive outlooks and the conceptualisation of CCO. To the best of the author’s knowledge, the present research is the initial attempt to explore the mediating role of CAA in the aforementioned relationship. The empirical findings provide academics with a deeper understanding of the research constructs and offer prospective avenues for future research in this discipline.
