Development and validation of the Spanish short version of the Work Design Questionnaire (WDQ-S)

Abstract

Job transformation is changing work characteristics at a fast pace. This makes work design matter more than ever before. The Work Design Questionnaire (WDQ) is a powerful measurement of current work characteristics that can be used when (re)designing work to be safe, healthy, and motivating. However, its length represents a relevant challenge to its application. This study aims to validate a short version of the WDQ (WDQ-S) for Spanish-speaking countries. Through a two-waves longitudinal design, the WDQ-S was validated in a sample of 653 workers from 27 Spanish companies. Results confirmed the hierarchical factor structure, which comprised four general and nine specific dimensions, good internal consistency, and acceptable levels of convergent and discriminant validity. Hierarchical regression analyses showed predictive and incremental validity on job satisfaction and performance. The main limitation is that the WDQ-S was not tested against the original version, instead test-retest reliability was performed. Future research should replicate these findings in other samples, validate this scale in other languages and expand research with other outcomes. This study is relevant to industrial and occupational ergonomics as it provides a useful tool for designing healthy, productive, and sustainable workplaces.