Adaptive performance—the ability to adjust to changing work demands—is increasingly vital in higher education institutions, yet limited research has examined its predictors in academic settings. This study explored how work characteristics influence adaptive performance, specifically focusing on individual task, team member, and organizational member adaptivity (Griffin et al., Academy of Management Journal, 50(2), 327–347, 2007). Drawing on the Job Characteristics Model (Hackman & Oldham, 1980) and its contemporary extensions (Hauk, 2025), the study examined 11 work characteristics as predictors, critical psychological states as mediators, and psychological safety as a moderator. Moderated mediation analyses revealed that psychological safety amplified the indirect effects of a sense of responsibility and knowledge of results on adaptive performance, and to a lesser degree, the effects of a sense of meaningfulness—particularly when psychological safety was moderate or high. These results highlight the role of social and contextual factors in shaping adaptive behavior within academia. This study contributes to the growing body of literature on work design and adaptive performance by extending it to the higher education context. Practically, the findings underscore the importance of cultivating psychologically safe environments that empower academic staff to respond effectively to the evolving challenges of academic work.
