Enhancing human capital productivity through self-efficacy

Abstract

Psychological resources of individual worker such as self-efficacy enhance confidence to execute specific tasks effectively. One of the prime constructs of worker productivity in organizations is self-efficacy. Prof. Albert Bandura first coined the concept of self-efficacy in 1977 as belief of individual in their capacity to perform specific actions required for specific outcomes. Self-efficacy governs how people feel, think, and perform and shapes motivation and resilience across professional domains since it is rooted in social cognitive theory. The prime focus of the research is to identify those factors that comprise key determinants of worker productivity and self-efficacy and to further explore the relationship between the two. The cross-sectional analysis is conducted among employees in different sectors of West Bengal, India with special emphasize on manufacturing and service sectors, using a structured twenty item instrument to measure worker productivity and self-efficacy. The outcomes of the study reveal that worker productivity is strongly and positively influenced by self-efficacy. The study concludes that supportive work environment, structured training and feedback enhances self-efficacy and thereby also improve worker productivity, establishing actionable approach towards sustainable organizational development.