Factors Influencing Sustainable and Positive Organizational Behavior: the Example of Higher Education in Kazakhstan

Abstract

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), adopted by the United Nations in 2015, highlight the importance of resilience and sustainability in achieving goals such as good health and well-being (SDG 3), decent work and economic growth (SDG 8), responsible consumption and production (SDG 12), and climate action (SDG 13). Addressing these challenges and promoting a supportive work environment through interventions such as team-building events, recognition of employees’ efforts, and providing opportunities for skills development can contribute to the resilience and sustainability of Kazakhstani organizations. This study aimed to explore resilience and sustainability in the workplace in higher education in Kazakhstan from the perspective of managing and academic staff. Interviews were conducted with ten respondents from different universities in Almaty city, Kazakhstan, to identify individual and organizational factors that contribute to resilience and sustainability in the workplace. The findings revealed that teamwork, working environment, work process, functioning, and leadership were critical organizational factors impacting resilience and sustainability. Academic staff emphasized the importance of corporate spirit, solidarity, and teambuilding while managing staff highlighted the need for a clear allocation of tasks and responsibilities. Challenges such as unequal task distribution and a shortage of competent specialists were identified, which can impede work progress and affect productivity. The study suggests that contextually relevant strategies and interventions should be developed to promote positive organizational behavior and overall progress toward sustainable development goals in Kazakhstan, taking into consideration the unique cultural, social, and economic factors that influence the workplace dynamics in the country.