DEVELOPMENT OF CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK FOR JOB AUTONOMY, WORK RESILIENCE AND PSYCHOLOGICAL EMPOWERMENT

Abstract

This study examines how job autonomy influences employee resilience, emphasising the mediating role of psychological empowerment. Using as methodology Systematic Literature Review (SLR) under the PRISMA protocol, 62 peer-reviewed articles (2010-2025) were analysed across five databases. Bibliometric mapping with VOSviewer identified three co-occurrence clusters: job autonomy, psychological empowerment and resilience. Findings reveal that job autonomy acts as a vital job resource that enhances psychological empowerment through meaning, competence, self-determination, and impact-thereby strengthening work resilience. Grounded in Self-Determination Theory (SDT), the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model, and Conservation of Resources (COR) theory, the study develops an integrated conceptual framework linking autonomy, empowerment, and resilience. It highlights the importance of autonomy in reducing workplace stressors and the role of empowerment in fostering proactive, adaptive performance. Practically, it recommends culturally responsive HR strategies such as flexible work design, participative decision-making, and resilience-building programs to enhance adaptability and retention, offering an evidence-based framework for resilience development in emerging economies.