How to build a proactive workforce: Training problem solvers or strategic change agents?
Organizations are increasingly looking for their employees to be proactive – to show initiative in their work and contribute to positive change. But how can organizations increase proactivity in their workforce? Can employees be trained to be more proactive? ESSEC Prof. Karoline Strauss aims to answer this question in her research. “The short answer is: yes”, she says. “The long answer is that which training approach will be effective – and for which employees – depends on the kind of proactivity an organization is looking for in their workforce. Do you want your employees to be proactive problem solvers, fixing issues they come across in their day-to-day job, or do you want them to be proactive in shaping the long-term future of the organization? Our findings show that a different training approach is needed for these two different types of proactivity”.