Curvilinear dynamics of job demands, resources, and resilience: the impact of HR practices on public managers

ABSTRACTRecent studies suggest that job resources can increase individuals’ resilience to adversity. Building on this premise, this study investigated the influence of human resource development (HRD) practices on public managers’ resilience. Analyzing data from a survey of New Zealand public managers, we found that those who participated in mentoring programs demonstrated higher levels of resilience in response to intermediate rather than low or high levels of job demand. We also found a significant positive correlation between training and the capacity to response to change. Furthermore, a multi-level analysis showed that previously assessed change management practices at the organizational level positively affected the managers’ ability to learn from mistakes.