Appreciating resilience at work: Psychometric assessment, measurement, and practical implications

Abstract

Limited research has been done on the utility of the resilience at work (RAW) scale in the global south. Furthermore, no study has modelled the general factor of the RAW scale. This is a huge gap given the need for organizational leaders to effectively to constantly monitor and nurture employee resilience if they are to enjoy adaptive advantages and flourish. The reliability, construct validity, dimensionality, and invariance of the RAW Scale were analysed. The levels of resilience at work were also measured. A sample of 213 employees was drawn from employees in government (34%), non-governmental organizations (NGOs, 33%), and the private sector (33%). Statistical software R, and the Bifactor Indices Calculator were used for the analysis. The RAW scale exhibited adequate psychometric properties. Exploratory factor analysis produced a seven-factor structure with 57% total variance explained. The higher model of the seven-factor scale had adequate fit indices. The results of the bifactor model also confirmed the multidimensional structure of the scale, albeit with six latent factors. Gender did not differentiate resilience at work scores. The results suggest that each of the six latent factors captures unique information beyond the full scale. As such, organizational researchers and leaders should use the RAW subscale average scores when measuring, interpreting, and evaluating resilience at work-related remediation actions. The scale was invariant across sectors hence its utility in national workplace surveys.