Chapter 1

Introductory Chapter: Conceptualising

Agile Coping Within the Smart
Technological World of Work

Nadia Ferreira, Ingrid L. Potgieter, and Melinde Coetzee

Abstract This chapter presents an introductory overview of the outline of the book
volume. The chapter provides an overview of classical and modern-day
conceptualisations of the agile coping. The chapter will propose a new digital era
relevant conceptualisation of the construct. The chapter will provide an outline of
the core themes and focus areas of the various subsections of the book and
contributing chapters.

Keywords Coping · Agile coping · Digital · Workplace · Digital transformation ·

Behaviour · Culture

1.1 Introduction

This book Agile Coping in the Digital Workplace: Emerging Issues for Research
and Practice is appropriate in its reflection on the opinion and understanding of
coping with agility. It is agreed upon by fellow scholars and practitioners that the
issues and exponential development and use of technology in the workplace have a
radical impact on individuals’ and organisations’ ability to cope and manage coping
abilities. This book fills an important gap in current research by addressing the
under-researched phenomenon of agile coping on individual and organisational
level within the context of Industry 4.0. Various interesting outlooks of coping are

N. Ferreira (*) · I. L. Potgieter

Department of Human Resource Management, University of South Africa,
Gauteng, South Africa
e-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]
M. Coetzee
Department of Industrial and Organisational Psychology, University of South Africa,
Gauteng, South Africa
e-mail: [email protected]

© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021 1

N. Ferreira et al. (eds.), Agile Coping in the Digital Workplace,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-70228-1_1
2 N. Ferreira et al.

offered in the chapters of this book, which have made it possible to deliver a unique
outlook on the concept agile coping in the context of career wellbeing in the digital
workplace. Agile coping is conceptualised as the adaptive coping behaviour, which
includes self-reflective responses to change in order to optimise creativity, growth
and happiness (The Authors).

1.2 Agile Coping in the Digital Workplace

The natural evolution of the workplace has brought about the digital workplace. The
digital workplace provides organisations as well as individuals with incredible
opportunities to enable individuals to work in a more flexible, more connected
manner. The digital workplace facilitates the role of permitting and facilitating the
total experience that individuals have at work. Marsh (2019) defines digital
workplace literacy as individuals’ awareness, mind-set and ability to positively use
digital workplace tools in a responsible and effective manner to solve problems, be
more proactive, support individual wellbeing and thrive at work. Individuals with
high levels of digital workplace literacy are able to process and apply information
and data, create new content, connect and collaborate with others as well as reflect
on and adapt their digital practices over time. By developing these abilities,
individuals as well as organisations will be able to cope better within the digital
workplace. Organisations should invest in digital transformation by enabling their
employees to become more adaptive and develop the necessary skills to cope with
the rapid changes in the workplace. The development of agile coping behaviour
should form part of organisations’ digital workplace strategy. This message also
resonates through all the chapter contributions in this book volume.
Digital transformation can be described as improved business processes through
digital technology. It entails better collaborations between employees, stronger and
more productive relationships with partners or colleagues and increased potential
by changing work and coping styles (Hamburg, 2019). The digital workplace is
defined by Bryant (2018) as the entirety of the essential access to infrastructure,
applications and device platforms of information or knowledge employees need in
order to perform their work tasks and engage in collaboration. The digital workplace
may impact on individual and organisations in the following manner:
• Supports changes in working styles allowing individuals to work more transpar-
ently and make better use of social networks
• Ensures individual connectivity by means of their mobile devices to offer any-
where, anytime access to tools and information
• Generates choice, flexibility, adaptability and personalisation
• Supports virtual environments that allow individuals to remain connected
• Creates progressive, creative and innovative environments for individual
to work in
• Increases the level of employee engagement
1 Introductory Chapter: Conceptualising Agile Coping Within the Smart… 3

• Enhances employability
• Increases the productivity of individuals
With the arrival of the digital workplace, especially after the Covid-19 pandemic,
scholars and researchers across the world have highlighted the importance of agile
coping behaviour within the digital workplace we currently find ourselves in.
Contextual thinking researchers believe in the importance of providing the tools that
mimic organisation and workplace changes as well as reflect employee behaviour
that includes agility, coping, flexibility and employability (Shivakumar, 2020).
Interest for emerging agile coping issues was brought about by Industry 4.0 and the
digital transformation of the workplace. This book volume highlights these emerging
issues for research and practices by providing specific attention to the context when
reflecting on the agile coping behaviour on organisational and individual level.
This book volume clearly illustrates that agile coping cannot be described only
from one perspective but needs to be interrogated on various levels (such as indi-
vidual, organisational and employability levels). Although variations of the multi-
level facets of agile coping in the digital workplace are illustrated in each chapter,
specific indicators of agile coping are manifested in each chapter. Agile coping in the
digital workplace specifically on these different levels emerges in the various narra-
tives, research and case illustrations of the chapters in this book volume. These
include resilience-based coping strategies, psychological coping mechanisms for
survival in the digital workplace, the influence of generations on agile coping, the
enhancement of wellbeing, expansion of boundary spanning competencies, how to
use digital tools as coping mechanisms, explaining the different coping styles,
exploring leadership agility and bootlegging behaviour, identifying the best practices
for online psychological interventions, the role of technology on employee engage-
ment, exploring the concept psychological capital and explaining how student sup-
port landscapes are changing in the digital workplace. For an overall impression, we
refer the reader here to Chap. 16 for a rundown of the multilevel contextual research
and practice themes that developed from the various chapter contributions.
It is clear from the chapters that digital technologies are integrated in various
aspects of life and work and present benefits and challenges for organisations,
employers and employees. Hamburg (2019) stresses that organisations should be
more creative in creating new working environments and take into consideration
their culture around the digital developments in the workplace, in order to ensure
productivity and the coping of employees or individuals.
The scope of this book volume is on one hand to discuss agile coping in the digi-
tal workplace with individuals who find themselves in the field of digital transfor-
mation and with students and practitioners to find new scientific methods for
problems such as behaviour change in order to cope; on the other hand, this book
volume would like to assist organisations and individuals particularly to achieve the
necessary skills and competencies for a successful digital transformation and coping
within the digital workplace. In addition, we sincerely hope that the various chapter
contributions in this book volume will stimulate the thinking about and implementing
of agile coping strategies in the digital workplace and satisfy the expectations of
both the individual and the organisation.
4 N. Ferreira et al.

The primary foundational theoretical lens in describing the dynamics of agile

coping seems to be positive psychology. However, other theoretical lenses have
been added to better explain the multilevel contextual nature of the agile coping in
the digital workplace. These include theories such as career development and
wellbeing theory (see Coetzee, Chap. 3), positive coping theory (see Potgieter,
Chap. 4), social connectedness theory (see Ferreira, Chap. 6), work-life balance
theory (see Du Plessis, Chap. 6), structuration theory (see Beckett, Chap. 7),
flourishing theory (see Nel, Chap. 9), theory of structural strain (see Hooi and Tan,
Chap. 10) and difference model theory (see Breen, Chap. 14). The multiple
theoretical lenses explore agile coping from different viewpoints and the importance
to approach it within the digital workplace.

1.3 Outline of the Book Volume

To ease understanding of the shift to the multilevel contextual understanding of the

agile coping in the digital workplace, we have categorised (as illustrated in Fig. 1.1)
the chapters into four core themes. Each of these sections provides the reader with
a snapshot overview of the core focus and contribution of the relevant chapters.

1.3.1 Part I: The Digital Workplace: Contextual Issues

and Coping

The chapters by Oosthuizen (Chap. 2) and Coetzee (Chap. 3) present features of the
digital workplace context that affects agile coping attributes. The value of these
chapter contributions lies within their critical reflection on core coping attributes
that affect agile coping and career wellbeing of individuals.

Part I: The Digital Workplace: Contextual Issues and Coping

Chapters 2 to 3

Managing Coping within Part II: Issues for Organisational Practice

the Digital Workplace Chapters 4 to 10

Part III: Issues for Individuals

Chapters 11 to 15

Part V: Integration & Conclusion

Chapter 16

Fig. 1.1 Conceptual overview of the book volume

1 Introductory Chapter: Conceptualising Agile Coping Within the Smart… 5

1.3.2 Part II: Managing Coping Within the Digital Workplace:

Issues for Organisational Practice

The chapters by Potgieter (Chap. 4), Ferreira (Chap. 5), Du Plessis (Chap. 6),
Beckett (Chap. 7), Mpofu et al. (Chap. 8), Nel (Chap. 9) and Hooi and Tan (Chap.
10) touch on important multilevel contextual issues that affect organisational coping
practices. The value of these chapter contributions lies in their rich discussion of
important organisational coping practices relevant to Industry 4.0 and the digital
workplace.

1.3.3 Part III: Managing Coping Within the Digital

Workplace: Issues for Individuals

The chapters by Bester and Bester (Chap. 11), Koekemoer et al. (Chap. 12),
Aderibigbe (Chap. 13) and Breen (Chap. 14) highlight the challenges and
complexities of managing the agile coping within the digital workplace as an
individual. The value of these chapter contributions lies in the identification and
elucidation of the various issues for individuals specifically in terms of agile coping
in the digital workplace. The chapter by Eloff (Chap. 15) highlights the challenges
and complexities of addressing agile coping within the employability and wellbeing
context. The value of this chapter contribution lies in the in-depth discussion and
understanding of the elliptical collaborations, technology and the manner in which
it supports individuals’ subjective wellbeing.

1.3.4 Part V: Integration and Conclusion

The chapter by Ferreira et al. (Chap. 16) brings together overarching issues for
future research and organisational practices at this particular stage in reflecting on
agile coping dynamics and emerging issues for research practices in the digital
workplace. The core themes that emerged in each chapter are presented as a synop-
sis for readers to consult when working through this book volume.

1.4 Conclusion

We acknowledge that coping, and specifically agile coping, is an under-researched

phenomenon and that the chapter contributions only provide a snapshot of the
theory, research and dynamics of relevance and interest in the digital workplace.
The audience for this book is advanced undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate
6 N. Ferreira et al.

students as well as scholars and practitioners in career wellbeing and career

development settings. In addition, organisational decision-makers, human resource
managers and professionals, wellness counsellors and public policy makers will
have an interest in this book. We trust that the readers of this book will find the
theory, reported research and practices that illuminate the dynamics of agile coping
in the digital workplace helpful to enrich their own understanding of the multilevel
issues underpinning managing agile coping. We hope that the thoughts and
suggestions presented in the various chapters will stimulate further research
endeavours that will contribute to much needed innovative evidence-based coping
practices that benefit both individuals and their organisations in the rapidly changing
digital workplace.

References

Bryant, L. (2018). Capabilities, culture, digital transformation, enablement, ESN adoption, future
of work, leadership, learning, org structures, technology.
Hamburg, I. (2019). Implementation of a digital workplace strategy to drive behaviour change
and improve competencies. https://www.intechopen.com/books/strategy-­and-­behaviors-­in-­the-­
digital-­economy/implementation-­of-­a-­digital-­workplace-­strategy-­to-­drive-­behavior-­change-­
and-­improve-­competencies. Accessed 19 Oct 2020.
Marsh, W. (2019). Digital skills are key to wellbeing in the digital workplace. https://www.linkedin.
com/pulse/digital-­skills-­key-­wellbeing-­workplace-­elizabeth-­marsh/. Accessed 12 Oct 2020.
Shivakumar, S. K. (2020). Digital transformation to next-generation workplaces. In Build a next-gen-
eration digital workplace. Berkeley, CA: Apress. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-­1-­4842-­5512-­4_8

Nadia Ferreira is a professor in Human Resource Management at the Department of Human

Resource Management at UNISA. She is a registered human resource practitioner with the South
African Board for People Practices (SABPP). Nadia Ferreira completed her MCom degree in
Human Resource Management and Industrial Psychology in 2008 at the University of Pretoria.
She completed her DCom Industrial Psychology degree at UNISA in 2012. She is also an author
and co-author of several published articles in local and international journals. In addition, she
presented several papers at national and international conferences. Nadia Ferreira is a section
editor for the South African Journal of Industrial and Organisational Psychology.

Ingrid L. Potgieter (DCom) is a professor in Human Resource Management at the Department

of Human Resource Management at UNISA. She is a registered industrial psychologist at the
Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) since 2009 and also a registered human
resource practitioner at the South African Board for People Practices (SABPP). Ingrid Potgieter
completed her Mcom degree in Human Resource Management and Industrial Psychology in 2009
at the University of Pretoria. She completed her Dcom Industrial Psychology degree at UNISA in
2012. She is also an author and co-author of several published articles in local and international
journals. She presented several papers at national and international conferences. Ingrid Potgieter is
a section editor for the South African Journal of Industrial Psychology and edited and co-edited a
number of scholarly books published by an international publisher.
1 Introductory Chapter: Conceptualising Agile Coping Within the Smart… 7

Melinde Coetzee (DLitt et Phil) is a professor in the Department of Industrial and Organisational
Psychology at the University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa. She has extensive experience
in the corporate environment on psychological interventions pertaining to organisational develop-
ment, human capacity and career development and talent retention. Her research interests include
issues of employability and career and retention psychology in multicultural work contexts. She is
editor, author and co-author of numerous scientific and scholarly books and articles. She served in
the role of chief editor of the South African Journal of Industrial Psychology (2014 to 2019). She
is a professionally registered psychologist (cat. Industrial) with the Health Professions Council of
South Africa (HPCSA) and a master human resource practitioner with the South African Board for
People Practice (SABPP).
 Part I
The Digital Workplace: Contextual Issues
and Coping

1.1 Conceptual Overview of the Book Volume

Part I: The Digital Workplace: Contextual Issues and Coping

Chapters 2 to 3

Part II: Issues for Organisational Practice

Chapters 4 to 10
Managing Coping within
the Digital Workplace
Part III: Issues for Individuals
Chapters 11 to 15

Part IV: Integration & Conclusion

Chapter 16

1.2 Overview

Oosthuizen’s contribution (Chap. 2: The Fourth Industrial Revolution: A Resilience-­

Based Coping Strategy for Disruptive Change) sets the initial scene and helps us to
better understand the seismic shift that brings with it a set of radically new technolo-
gies, called the Fourth Industrial Technology (4IR). The chapter elucidates that
smart technology, artificial intelligence, robotics, algorithms, the Internet of Things,
3D printing, bio-printing, gene editing and autonomous vehicles are transforming
the world at an incredible speed (Kruger, 2020; Guoping, Yun, & Aizhi, 2017). This
author conceptualises a resilience-based coping strategy for disruptive change in the
4IR and further suggests possible strategies for both organisations and governments
to cope with the disruptive changes brought about by the digital workplace.
The chapter by Coetzee (Chap. 3: Career Wellbeing and Career Agility as
Coping Attributes in the Modern Career Space) addresses the current gap in research
10 I The Digital Workplace: Contextual Issues and Coping

on the two constructs of career wellbeing and career agility. The aim is to explore
whether career wellbeing (as an intrinsic psychological state) positively predicts
career agility (as an extrinsic psychological state). In this regard, the chapter firstly
reviews modern theoretical stances underpinning the two constructs from the per-
spective of the coping circumplex model (CCM: Stanislawski, 2019). Secondly, the
chapter reports and discusses an empirical study on the link between the two con-
structs. Thirdly, the chapter critically considers the implications for modern career
theory and organisational support practices.