Conceptualising behavioural ambidexterity and the effects on individual well-being

Paper in proceeding, 2018

'Knowledge work' in the contemporary business landscape typically demands behavioural ambidexterity: the ability to simultaneously demonstrate creativity and compliance. However, the effects of behavioural ambidexterity on the well-being of individual employees are not well known. We examine the relations between work design, behavioural ambidexterity and perceptions of well-being, conceptually drawing on a review of the three strands of literature. Our focus is on well-being, after a well-established holistic definition based on healthcare, philosophy, psychology and sociology literatures, which have converged on three core dimensions of well-being: psychological (happiness), physical (health) and social (relationships). We highlight the influence of personal circumstances and the role of agency in work design as two key antecedents of well-being outcomes, and suggest a preliminary framework for further studies of behavioural ambidexterity and well-being in the construction industry.