Abstract
Based on the Job Demands-Resources model (JD-R) the aim of this study was to verify work engagement and burnout prediction models in relation to self-efficacy and four job crafting strategies: increasing structural job resources, increasing challenging job demands, increasing social job resources, and decreasing hindering job demands. Data was obtained by using questionnaires. The sample comprised 178 employed participants between 20 and 58 years of age. The results indicated that crafting challenging demands (e.g., seeking extra tasks) and social job resources (e.g., asking for feedback on job performance) was positively associated with work engagement. Behavioural strategies connected with the avoidance of difficulties at work (decreasing hindering job demands) associated with the younger age of employees in managerial positions significantly contributed to burnout. Self-efficacy as a personal source partially mediated the relationship between increasing challenging job demands and work engagement. Participants in managerial positions indicated a higher level of job crafting, work engagement, and self-efficacy as opposed to individual contributors. The results of the study are practically applicable in organizations in the form of stimulations, management, and the support of those job crafting strategies that contribute to benefits on an individual and organizational level.
Highlights
Job crafting is a specific form of proactive work behavior that involves employees actively changing the characteristics of their jobs (Tims & Bakker, 2010; Wrzesniewski & Dutton, 2001)
Five items with loadings smaller than 0.30 were removed: “If there are new developments, I am one of the first to learn about them and try them out”; “I try to make my work more challenging by examining the underlying relationships between aspects of my job”; “I decide on my own how I do things”; “I look to my supervisor for inspiration”; and “I make sure that my work is mentally less intense”
The findings were the following for the number of the items for each factor: the Increasing Structural Job Resources factor was saturated with three items, the Increasing Challenging Job Demands factor had four items, the Decreasing Hindering Job Demands consisted of five items, and four items were identified for the Increasing Social Job
Summary
Job crafting is a specific form of proactive work behavior that involves employees actively changing the (perceived) characteristics of their jobs (Tims & Bakker, 2010; Wrzesniewski & Dutton, 2001). Wrzesniewski and Dutton (2001) define job crafting as “physical and cognitive changes done by individuals in their work tasks and relations” Relationship crafting involves changing how, when, and with whom individuals cooperate, reflecting the quality and number of interactions with other colleagues (Berg, Dutton, & Wrzesniewski, 2008). If all the factors are in balance, the employee has a good “compliance” experience with the job If they are not in balance, there is a misfit and disharmony, which can lead to job crafting that will help correct this relationship (Tims & Bakker, 2010; Tims, Derks, & Bakker, 2016)
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