Work-Life Readiness Is Also Psychological Readiness
Starting work in social and health care may feel very different from studying for the profession. New graduates must find their place in a new team while learning to work under pressure. Difficult decisions and encounters with patients and families can bring new responsibilities. Professional knowledge remains essential, but wider work-life skills and psychological resources are also needed.
Studies show the same pattern described above. In a qualitative systematic review, newly graduated nurses reported a gap between education and clinical work. As a result, many felt overwhelmed. However, support from colleagues was valued, and more structured support was wanted during the transition into working life (See et al., 2023). Without enough support, difficult experiences may be faced alone, and even a capable new professional may begin to doubt their abilities.
Therefore, attention should be given not only to what new professionals know, but also to how they are supported during this transition. Thus, a stronger bridge between education and working life is needed. High-quality orientation, a supportive work community, opportunities to develop competence, and support for work ability have been identified as important for nurses’ employment in social and health care work (Weiste et al., 2025).
Attention should be given not only to what new professionals know, but also to how they are supported during this transition.
New professionals may need support not only to learn their tasks, but also to find their own way of working. Support can help them set meaningful work-related goals and find different ways to reach them. Encouragement and feedback from others can build confidence. When something does not go as planned, the situation can be discussed together. This can help the person learn from the experience, recover, and find a new way forward. One difficult situation does not define the future when it is shared and cared for.
People do not need to learn alone. Once again when work experiences are discussed openly, people can learn from one another and see new possibilities. These resources, such as setting goals, trusting one’s abilities, recovering from difficulties, and looking towards the future more optimistically, are brought together in a theory of psychological capital, or PsyCap. Research has shown and linked PsyCap with well-being, positive views about work, and work performance (Luthans et al., 2007; Luthans & Youssef-Morgan, 2017). Among nurses, higher PsyCap has also been connected with engagement, commitment, and willingness to remain at work (Flinkman et al., 2023).
PsyCap Gives a Simple Language for Psychological Resources
Psychological capital consists of four resources: hope, self-efficacy, resilience, and optimism. Together, they form the acronym HERO. PsyCap is described as state-like, which means that it is viewed as more open to development than relatively stable personality traits (Luthans et al., 2007; Luthans & Youssef-Morgan, 2017).
- Hope means identifying meaningful goals, having motivation to work towards them, and finding different paths forward. If one path is blocked, another can be considered.
- Self-efficacy means believing in one’s ability to manage important and challenging tasks. Confidence may be strengthened through practice, earlier successes, feedback, encouragement, and suitable role models.
- Resilience more specifically, means adapting and recovering when difficulties, changes, or setbacks are faced. It does not mean that a person is never worried or that poor conditions should be tolerated. Instead, it involves receiving support, learning, and moving forward.
- Optimism more precisely means viewing the future realistically but constructively. Difficulties are not denied, but one difficult experience is not seen as proof that everything will continue to go badly. Attention can also be given to what can be influenced, what can be learned, and what possibilities remain open.
PsyCap can therefore offer clear language for discussing psychological readiness. Because these resources are considered open to development, it is important to examine how they could be strengthened through practice, reflection, and support.
How Can You Develop Your Psychological Capital?
The four resources of psychological capital can be strengthened through meaningful goals, practice, reflection, and support from others (Luthans et al., 2015; Salanova & Ortega-Maldonado, 2019).
The process can begin with a personally important goal that is challenging but possible to reach and fits the person’s values. A meaningful goal can strengthen motivation and help focus action (Csikszentmihalyi, 2003; Neck et al., 2019). The goal can then be divided into smaller steps, and different paths towards it can be planned. If the first path is blocked, another can be tried. This can strengthen hope (Luthans et al., 2015).
Self-efficacy can be strengthened by noticing even small successes. A learning diary, feedback, and discussions with others may help a person recognize what has already gone well. A small success can show that learning is taking place and that the next step is possible (Luthans et al., 2015; Neck et al., 2019).
After a difficult experience, time should be given for reflection. Resilience does not mean that every difficulty must be accepted or managed alone. It also includes asking for help, using available resources, adapting to the situation, and finding a new way forward (Luthans et al., 2015; Salanova & Ortega-Maldonado, 2019).
Realistic optimism can be developed by focusing on what can still be influenced. Difficulties and negative feelings do not need to be denied. However, one difficult experience does not mean that everything will continue to go badly. Attention can also be given to what has been learned, what resources are available, and what possibilities remain open (Luthans et al., 2015; Neck et al., 2019).
Practical Questions
The following questions may help a person develop their psychological capital:
- What goal is important to me, and why?
- What is the first small step towards this goal?
- What other paths could I try if the first one is blocked?
- Where have I already succeeded, and what does this tell me about my abilities?
- What can I learn from this difficult experience?
- What can I influence right now, and what resources can I use?
- Who could give me feedback, support, or a new perspective?
These questions show how psychological capital can be supported in everyday situations. However, its development is not only the responsibility of the individual. Practice, feedback, guidance, and support from others may also be needed (Luthans et al., 2015; Salanova & Ortega-Maldonado, 2019). In SOTE-Resilience, similar questions could be adapted for guidance, mentoring, micro-training, and placement discussions.
How PsyCap Could Support SOTE-Resilience
The SOTE-Resilience project supports social and health care students and recent graduates during the move into working life. It will identify participants’ strengths and support needs and develop individual learning paths, AI-supported guidance, micro-training, workplace mentoring, and placements (Tampere University of Applied Sciences, 2026). These activities provide settings in which PsyCap could be explored as one perspective on psychological readiness.
PsyCap could help for example students and mentors talk about the psychological side of the placement. Instead of looking only at what the student can already do, they could also reflect together on goals, confidence, difficult experiences, and future possibilities. The discussion could use HERO acronym as a guideline. Students and mentors could then explore the answers together and consider what kind of support might be helpful.
Furthermore, PsyCap could also support micro-training and placement reflection. Before a real work situation is faced, a clear goal of placement could be selected, different ways forward could be considered, and the student’s existing skills could be recognized. Afterwards, the student could reflect with a mentor, teacher, supervisor, or colleague on what went well, what support is needed, and what could be done next. Research suggests that PsyCap can be strengthened, although the development may require more than one session, continued practice, feedback, and support (Loghman et al., 2025; Lupșa et al., 2020).
Hence, PsyCap may help students and new professionals find ways forward, but it should not be seen as an answer to every difficulty at work. A person cannot be expected to manage excessive workloads, poor leadership, inadequate orientation, or unsafe working environments by simply becoming more hopeful, confident, resilient, or optimistic. Psychological resources should be supported alongside good orientation, support from others, opportunities to learn, and suitable working conditions (Weiste et al., 2025).
Conclusion
Psychological capital may provide one useful perspective on work-life readiness. Its four resources provide simple language for discussing goals, confidence, recovery, and future possibilities. They may be strengthened through meaningful goals, practice, reflection, feedback, and support, although development may take time.
Work-life and psychological readiness grow when personal resources are supported by good orientation, trusted relationships, responsible leadership, opportunities to learn, and suitable working conditions.
In SOTE-Resilience, PsyCap could be explored through guidance, mentoring, micro-training, and placement reflection. As the suggested questions and activities have not yet been tested in the project, their usefulness, safety, and relevance would need to be evaluated with students, educators, mentors, and working-life partners.
Psychological resources can help people find their way through difficult situations, but they cannot make the problems of working life disappear. No one should be expected to manage excessive workloads, poor leadership, inadequate orientation, or unsafe working conditions alone. Work-life and psychological readiness grow when personal resources are supported by good orientation, trusted relationships, responsible leadership, opportunities to learn, and suitable working conditions.
References
Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2003). Good business: Leadership, flow, and the making of meaning. Viking.
Flinkman, M., Coco, K., Rudman, A., & Leino-Kilpi, H. (2023). Registered nurses’ psychological capital: A scoping review. International Journal of Nursing Practice, 29(5), Article e13183. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijn.13183
Loghman, S., Ramirez-Perez, M., Bohle, P., & Martin, A. (2025). A comprehensive meta-analysis of the impact of intervention programmes on psychological capital development: Post-intervention and longer-term effects. Personnel Review, 54(1), 106–129. https://doi.org/10.1108/PR-10-2023-0854
Lupșa, D., Vîrgă, D., Maricuțoiu, L. P., & Rusu, A. (2020). Increasing psychological capital: A pre-registered meta-analysis of controlled interventions. Applied Psychology, 69(4), 1506–1556. https://doi.org/10.1111/apps.12219
Luthans, F., Avolio, B. J., Avey, J. B., & Norman, S. M. (2007). Positive psychological capital: Measurement and relationship with performance and satisfaction. Personnel Psychology, 60(3), 541–572. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-6570.2007.00083.x
Luthans, F., Youssef-Morgan, C. M., & Avolio, B. J. (2015). Psychological capital and beyond. Oxford University Press.
Luthans, F., & Youssef-Morgan, C. M. (2017). Psychological capital: An evidence-based positive approach. Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior, 4, 339–366. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-orgpsych-032516-113324
Neck, C. P., Manz, C. C., & Houghton, J. D. (2019). Self-leadership: The definitive guide to personal excellence (2nd ed.). SAGE Publications.
Salanova, M., & Ortega-Maldonado, A. (2019). Psychological capital development in organizations: An integrative review of evidence-based intervention programs. In L. E. Van Zyl & S. Rothmann Sr. (Eds.), Positive psychological intervention design and protocols for multi-cultural contexts (pp. 81–102). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-20020-6_4
See, E. C. W., Koh, S. S. L., Baladram, S., & Shorey, S. (2023). Role transition of newly graduated nurses from nursing students to registered nurses: A qualitative systematic review. Nurse Education Today, 121, Article 105702. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2022.105702
Tampere University of Applied Sciences. (2026). SoTe Resilience: Enhancing work readiness and retention in social and health care. https://www.tuni.fi/en/tamk/research-development-and-innovations/sote-resilience-enhancing-work-readiness-and-retention
Weiste, E., Korkiakangas, E., Olakivi, A., Raijas, M., Heikura, T., Pelkonen, E., Koivisto, T., & Seppänen, L. (2025). Selvitys keinoista kannustaa alalta poistuneita, työttömiä ja eläkkeellä olevia lähi- ja sairaanhoitajia sekä alan opiskelijoita sosiaali- ja terveysalan työhön. Sosiaali- ja terveysministeriön julkaisuja 2025:8. Sosiaali- ja terveysministeriö. https://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-00-4432-9
Authors
Toni Lehtimäki
Coach and Senior Lecturer
Proakatemia
Tampere University of Applied Sciences (TAMK)
toni.k.lehtimaki@tuni.fi
ORCID: 0009-0008-3090-5210
His expertise focuses on leadership, coaching, and positive psychology, with a particular interest in sustainable high performance and well-being at work. He is finalizing his PhD.
Riikkaelina Susipolku-Jensen
Senior Lecturer
Faculty of Social Services and Health Care
Tampere University of Applied Sciences (TAMK)
Licensed Psychologist and Occupational Health Psychologist
riikkaelina.susipolku@tuni.fi
ORCID: 0009-0006-9823-4519
Her expertise focuses on brain health, occupational well-being, psychological safety, stress regulation, and affective ergonomics, with a particular interest in sustainable learning and working life. She is especially interested in how individuals, communities, and organisations can be supported through psychologically informed and human-centred practices.
Photo: Abobe Stock