Proactivity at work: emerging perspectives

The dynamic nature of modern workplaces requires that employees anticipate problems, show initiative, and persist in the face of obstacles to achieve desired goals. This process, known as proactivity, has been linked to many organisational benefits. Each of our papers breaks new ground in proactivity research. The first uses attachment theory to explain the developmental roots of proactive tendencies. The second explores the roles of different emotions in each phase of the proactive process. The third shows how different types of stressor can, via emotional mechanisms, drive different forms of proactivity (productive and counterproductive). The final paper examines the way that proactive behaviour is evaluated and rewarded. These four papers have valuable implications for managing proactivity at work.