Arts as a driver of agility: A mixed-method inquiry

Area of Science:

• Organizational Psychology
• Human Resource Development
• Arts-Based Research

Background:

• The Fifth Industrial Revolution necessitates an agile workforce amidst evolving business environments.
• A gap exists in evidence-based training to foster employee agility.
• Current approaches often overlook the integration of human factors and technological innovation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and evaluate a novel arts-based intervention for enhancing employee agility.
• To investigate the long-term effects of the intervention on employee affect, behavior, and cognition.
• To propose a conceptual model for agility development and identify behavioral indicators.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-method inquiry was employed in two stages.
• Study 1: A quasi-experimental design (N=139) tested the intervention's immediate impact over five weeks.
• Study 2: Focus group discussions (N=13) explored sustained outcomes after six months.

Main Results:

• The Intermodal Arts-Based Intervention (IABI) significantly increased workforce agility compared to a control group.
• Sustained agile behaviors were linked to increased 'openness to experience' and 'socio-cognitive mindfulness'.
• The intervention demonstrated positive long-term effects on employees' affect, behavior, and cognition.

Conclusions:

• Arts-based interventions can effectively foster employee agility and resilience.
• IABI offers a novel, employee-centric approach to human capital development.
• Findings support the use of IABI for creating a change-ready workforce in the modern industrial era.