Psychological Capital as a Predictor of Health, Well-Being, and Safety Outcomes: Insights for Team-Level Psychological Capital

Abstract

Research focusing on psychological capital (PsyCap) has been mainly conducted at the individual level. However, recent research has expanded investigations to the collective level with a greater focus on team-level PsyCap. Although, as demonstrated by recent systematic reviews and meta-analyses, the relationships between individual-level PsyCap and the desirable/undesirable outcomes are fairly established in the literature, less is known about such relationships for team-level PsyCap. One of these important, yet least investigated, research areas is the research stream that focuses on the relationship between team-level PsyCap and the outcomes of health, Well-Being, and safety. This chapter aims to highlight the role of individual-level PsyCap as an important predictor of employees’ health, Well-Being, and safety outcomes, but also to go beyond that to provide insights into the potential role of team-level PsyCap in predicting such outcomes at both individual and team levels. To do so, the chapter first draws upon relevant theories to discuss the empirical research findings focusing on the relationship between individual-level PsyCap and the outcomes of health, Well-Being, and safety. It then focuses on team-level PsyCap from theoretical, conceptualization, and operationalization perspectives and provides insights into how team-level PsyCap might be related to health, Well-Being, and safety outcomes at both individual and team levels. Thus, this chapter proposes new research directions in an area of PsyCap that has been left unexplored.

Citation

Loghman, S. and Zahiriharsini, A. (2024), "Psychological Capital as a Predictor of Health, Well-Being, and Safety Outcomes: Insights for Team-Level Psychological Capital", Harms, P.D. and Chang, C.-H.(D). (Ed.) Stress and Well-Being in Teams (Research in Occupational Stress and Well Being, Vol. 22), Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 53-71. https://doi.org/10.1108/S1479-355520240000022003