Fleadapt scale: a new tool to measure frontline employee adaptability in power sector

Abstract

Purpose – An adaptable frontline employee (FLE) would be an asset for the organization, customer and to other constituents, external to the organization. Previous research by the same authors conceptualizes FLE adaptability in the power sector, using grounded theory as a multidimensional construct (Sony and Nandakumar, 2014). The purpose of this study is to explore this concept by developing a new scale to measure the FLE adaptability. Design/methodology/approach – The research is conducted in various phases to build up a new 41-item self-reported scale to measure adaptability of FLEs using structural equation modelling on data obtained from FLE ' s working in the power sector in India. Findings – The finding of the paper is a valid FLEADAPT scale which can be used for measuring adaptability of FLEs. Research limitations/implications – Although this study has provided relevant and interesting insights into the understanding of FLE adaptability, it is important to recognize its limitations. First, data in this study were obtained from firms in Western India. Although it can be said that the two samples represent a cross-section of a large number of businesses, it would be useful to obtain a broader and wider sampling frame from other countries. Because respondents’ perceptions, attitudes and behaviour are influenced by their cultures, it would be useful to test whether the existing FLE adaptability scale can be generalized to situations in other countries. Practical implications – FLE adaptability is identified as a key process in job performance, and hence, the scale will become an important managerial assessment tool. Social implications – This scale has a dimension to measure the social aspect of frontline adaptability, thus giving organizations a new tool to measure adaptability among the front lines. Originality/value – Despite the increasing research attention paid to the concept of FLEs, to date, there has been no valid and comprehensive operational measure of FLE adaptability. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to provide a comprehensive, psychometrically sound and operationally valid measure of an FLE’s adaptability.