Job Demands-Resources Research Articles

Will Fun and Care Prevent Gig Workers' Withdrawal? A Moderated Mediation Model

ABSTRACTThis study investigates how gig work challenges influence job withdrawal, mediated by stressors and perceived job insecurity, while considering the moderating effects of playful work design and a caring organizational ethical climate. Drawing on Cognitive–Emotional Systems Theory and the job demands–resources model, data were gathered from 516 Chinese gig workers. Results show that gig work challenges positively impact job withdrawal by triggering stressors and job insecurity. Notably, playful work design moderates this relationship, mitigating the impact of gig work challenges as hedonic job crafting levels increase. However, the caring ethical climate does not significantly influence the relationship between stressors and perceived job insecurity in the gig work context. The findings suggest that promoting playful work design can be an effective strategy to alleviate the negative effects of gig work challenges, thereby enhancing job satisfaction and retention in the gig economy. This study also provides a new perspective on understanding the mechanisms behind gig workers' workplace withdrawal behaviors, deepening the application of the Cognitive–Emotional Systems Theory and the Job Demands–Resources Model in the gig economy.

Influence of Work-Related Stress on the Performance of Teachers in Public Secondary Schools in Kiambu County, Kenya

Purpose: The aim of the study was to influence of work-related stress on the performance of teachers in Public Secondary Schools in Kiambu County, Kenya Methodology: The psychological well-being theory, the person-environment fit theory, and the Job Demands-Resources model served as the guiding theories for the study. The study used a descriptive survey research approach. Target population was 4288 teachers in public high schools out of which a sample size of 365 was selected using Yamane formula. The sample size was chosen using stratified random sampling method. Primary data was collected using questionnaires. To determine the validity and reliability of the questionnaires, a pilot test was carried out. Quantitative analysis of the data gathered from the surveys was conducted. Inferential and descriptive statistics was used for analysis. The data was summarized into frequencies, percentages, means and standard deviation and presented using pie charts and frequency tables. Findings: From the findings, it was established that work related stress (b=0.018, p=0.000<0.05), had a statistically significant relationship with the performance of teachers in public secondary schools in Kiambu County, Kenya. Notably, aspects such as being upset because of things have happened unexpectedly, being unable to control the important things in life, being overwhelmed by the workload significantly affected the performance of teachers in the public secondary schools. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: The study was guided by the person-environment fit theory. The study therefore recommended that the public secondary schools should introduce regular stress management workshops and training for teachers. These programs should focus on coping mechanisms, mindfulness, and relaxation techniques. In order to enhance the environmental mastery of teachers, the school administration needs to offer ongoing professional development opportunities that focus on enhancing adaptability, problem-solving skills, and decision-making abilities.

Job stress matters: Understanding how job stress moderates the relationship between person-environment fit and innovative work behavior in the Thai food industry

This study investigates the impact of person-environment fit and job stress on innovative work behavior within Thailand's food industry. Through a comprehensive survey conducted among supervisors in the food industry, validated scales were utilized to measure person-environment fit, job stress, and innovative work behavior while controlling demographic variables. Employing hierarchical regression analysis and moderation analysis, the study examines the direct and moderating effects of person-environment fit and job stress on innovative work behavior. Results reveal a significant positive relationship between person-environment fit and innovative work behavior, with job stress moderating this relationship. Notably, specific points of interaction between job stress levels and person-environment fit are identified, shedding light on nuanced dynamics within the food industry. This research introduces a novel approach by integrating the Job Demands-Resources Model with person-environment fit theory to explore how specific stressors unique to the food industry can influence innovation. The study also pioneers the use of industry-specific measures for assessing job stress and innovation, which were developed and validated within this context. This research contributes to both theoretical and practical knowledge by enhancing our understanding of innovation mechanisms in the food industry and providing actionable insights for fostering creativity and innovation among employees. The study's originality lies not only in its emphasis on the context of the food industry but also in its development of tailored theoretical and methodological approaches to address the sector's unique challenges and opportunities.

How Performance Management Enhances Employee Job Performance? “Finding the Silver Lining”

Purpose of this paper: Employees’ job performance is considered essential to the survival and success of organizations. Building on the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model, this multilevel cross-sectional study aimed to examine the direct effects of performance management (PM) on employees’ job performance, as well as the moderating role of PM practices in the relationship between recognition and employees’ job performance and in the relationship between psychological well-being and employees’ job performance. Design/methodology/approach: Multilevel regression analysis was executed with Stata 16 software. The data were processed according to their hierarchical structure (i.e., 251 employees nested in 18 organizations). Findings: Although PM do not directly influence employees’ job performance in this study, it interacts with recognition and psychological well-being to accentuate their effects on job performance. Research limitations/implications: This study is cross-sectional and relies on employees’ self-report questionnaires. PM does not appear to be the cure for all ills, but still seem to be resourceful to employees, showing that every cloud has a silver lining. Practical implications: Performance management should be considered by HRM professionals and promoted among managers and employees as an organizational tool for orienting and optimizing employees’ resources that contribute to good functioning and goal attainment at work. Originality/value: These results extend the literature by illustrating that performance management is still useful in organizations when combined with other organizational and individual resources, such as recognition and employees’ psychological well-being. Specific practical implications for HRM professionals are discussed.

The Individual, Organizational and Social Contexts of Teleworking and Technostress during Covid-19 Pandemic: A Holistic Analysis based on JD-R Model

The purpose of this study is to reveal the researches that deal with teleworking and technostress together with their individual, organizational and social dimensions in a holistic way within the framework of the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) Model. In this study, a review was carried out on the Web of Science (WoS) and the Scopus databases with the assistance of bibliometric analysis techniques and the PRISMA method. The thematic content analysis method was used to reveal on which dimensions of technostress associated with teleworking and on which methods the focuses were. It can be stated that the results of the relationship analysis based on keyword frequency, performance analysis and thematic content analysis carried out within the scope of the research are consistent with each other. At this point, the findings of the research have revealed that technostress poses a dark side to teleworking as an organizational behavior challenge stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic. The current study found that teleworking-related technostress significantly affects employee well-being, with important impacts on the ISO 45003:2021 standard, and the Sustainable Development Goal 3. On the basis of being such a comprehensive and comparative research on the subject, it contributes to the relevant literature and practice.

Promotion or prevention: regulatory foci as moderators in the job demands–resources model

BackgroundBuilding on the job demands–resources (JD–R) model and regulatory focus theory, this study examined how regulatory foci shaped the effects of different job demands and resources on both negative and positive workplace outcomes among medical staff.MethodsTwo independent studies (NStudy 1 = 267; NStudy 2 = 350) were designed for cross-validation. Participants completed a battery of measures evaluating job demands (workload, emotional demands, interpersonal stress), job resources (psychological safety, perceived organizational support, servant leadership), and well-being (job burnout, affective commitment, job satisfaction).ResultsMultiple linear regression analyses showed employees’ well-being was affected by job demands and resources through energetic and motivational processes, respectively. The deleterious effect of emotional demands on job burnout was pronounced in individuals with weak prevention focus (B = 0.392, standard error [SE] = 0.069, p < .001). Psychological safety (Study 1) and servant leadership (Study 2) had stronger positive associations with motivational outcomes among individuals with weak promotion focus than those with strong promotion focus (B = 0.394, SE = 0.069, p < .001; B = 0.679, SE = 0.121, p < .001; and B = 0.476, SE = 0.072, p < .001, respectively).ConclusionWe used two samples to examine and cross-validate the joint effects of job characteristics and personal traits on workplace well-being among Chinese medical staff. Although heterogenous, the results showed regulatory foci were especially important in determining the effects of job demands and resources on well-being when there was (autonomous) self-regulation in the workplace.

One element of the emergency department nurse burnout epidemic – who can help? Based on a qualitative exploratory case study

ABSTRACT Background Nurses are responsible for a substantial portion of the care patients receive in emergency departments and must be well-equipped to deal with the associated environmental challenges, including managing patients in crises, boarding, and overcrowding. These challenges lead to adverse impacts, like burnout. This study identified training as a resource to reduce the prevalence of nurse burnout. Methods This qualitative case study employed the Job Demands-Resources model to explore the experiences of one hundred and eleven nurses regarding their preparedness to manage patients undergoing mental health crises and associated boarding and overcrowding. Data were collected from July to August 2023 using anonymous surveys, a burnout inventory, semi-structured interviews, and focus groups. Results 75% reported experiencing burnout, with over half expressing feelings of inadequacy due to insufficient training. Those not reporting burnout indicated a strong support system at work and felt adequately trained. The imbalance between job demands and resources influenced motivational and health impairments. Conclusion The study aimed to bridge literature gaps by examining the link between training and burnout, offer empirical evidence and recommendations to academic and healthcare leaders to promote the well-being of nursing staff, and highlight the critical need for supportive training and resources to diminish burnout.

Exploring the Links Between Employee Resilience and Career Satisfaction: The Roles of Job Crafting and STARA Awareness

Abstract In a dynamic business environment where challenges are inevitable, the success of an organization depends on the resilience demonstrated by its employees. Prior studies provide valuable information on employee resilience and its outcomes; however, there is limited knowledge of how employee resilience influences career outcomes. Drawing on Job Demands-Resources Theory, this study explores the mediating effect of job crafting on the relationship between employee resilience and career satisfaction. Also, this study examines whether smart technology, artificial intelligence, robotics, and algorithms (STARA) awareness moderates the relationship between those variables. The study sample consists of 321 individuals employed in white-collar positions within various enterprises in Turkey. Structural equation modeling was used to test the research hypotheses. The findings indicate that job crafting significantly mediates the relationship between employee resilience and career satisfaction. Additionally, STARA awareness moderates the relationship between employee resilience and job crafting, whereas there is no conditional indirect effect between employee resilience and career satisfaction. This study presents practical implications for white-collar workers' career attitudes in business environments characterized by increased digitalization.

Balancing act: Exploring the interplay of production pressure and innovation/flexibility climates on employee well‐being

This study explored the separate and joint effects of innovation/flexibility and pressure to produce climates on employee exhaustion, and ultimately, turnover intentions. Survey data collected from 335 full‐time employees across various sectors in Türkiye were analysed using a latent moderated structural equations approach. The findings revealed that, while innovation climates were inversely related to exhaustion and turnover intentions, production pressure climate had the opposite effect, which provided support for the job demands‐resources (JD‐R) model. Importantly, the study uncovered a significant interactive effect, indicating that the positive impact of production pressure on exhaustion was amplified under increased innovation demands. This finding provided support for the conservation of resources (COR) theory, suggesting that heavy and conflicting job demands depleted employees' psychological resources by impeding the deployment of defensive strategies. The findings contribute to innovation research by revealing that individual‐level competing demands of balancing exploration and exploitation through contextual ambidexterity may pose challenges to employees' psychological well‐being.

The Antecedents and Outcomes of Public Service Motivation: A Meta-Analysis Using the Job Demands-Resources Model.

Understanding what drives public service motivation and its impacts is crucial for improving public sector performance. This meta-analysis synthesized the antecedents and outcomes of public service motivation based on the job demands-resources (JD-R) model. Incorporating 177 studies and 179 independent samples, with a total of 319 effect sizes, the results indicated the following: (1) Job resources and personal resources were positively related to public service motivation, while hindrance demands were negatively related to it. (2) Public service motivation had a positive relationship with overall job attitudes, job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and work engagement. It also had a positive relationship with overall job performance, in-role performance, and extra-role performance. (3) In terms of the antecedents, individualism/collectivism moderated the relationship between job resources and public service motivation, as well as the relationship between hindrance demands and public service motivation. As for the outcomes, individualism/collectivism moderated the relationship between public service motivation and both job attitudes and job performance. This study contributes to a comprehensive understanding of the antecedents and outcomes of public service motivation, offering valuable insights for future research and serving as a reference for theory development and practical application.

Job Characteristic Profiles and Presenteeism Among Shift Nurses: A Latent Profile Analysis Based on the Job Demands–Resources Model

ABSTRACTAim(s)To investigate job characteristic profiles based on the job demands–resources (JD‐R) model and the association between job characteristic profiles and presenteeism.DesignCross‐sectional study.MethodsData were collected from shift nurses in South Korea in January 2023 using an online survey. This study included 544 nurses working in tertiary and general hospitals in South Korea. The participants were classified into four job characteristic profiles based on the JD‐R model using latent profile analysis. Multiple logistic and linear regression analyses were performed to examine the association between job characteristic profiles and presenteeism.ResultsFour profiles were derived from the latent profile analysis: low strain–low motivation, high strain–low motivation, low strain–high motivation and high strain–high motivation. The high strain–low motivation, low strain–high motivation and high strain–high motivation groups were 1.74, 1.37 and 3.51 times more likely to experience presenteeism than the low strain–low motivation group respectively. The number of days worked while sick and the level of reduced job productivity was also the highest in the high strain–high motivation group. In addition, general health, multimorbidities and insomnia were significant factors affecting presenteeism, number of days worked while sick and productivity loss among shift nurses.ConclusionsThis study found that even with higher levels of job resources, work environments with high levels of job demands were associated with higher rates of presenteeism.ImpactStudy findings suggest that various strategies are needed to improve the physical and mental health of shift nurses, and create a healthy organisational environment by reducing excessive job demands to reduce presenteeism and increase productivity.Reporting MethodSTROBE guidelines.Patient or Public ContributionNo patient or public contribution.

Factors Influencing Work-Life Balance: Mediating Role of Telecommuting

This study explores the role of telecommuting on work-life balance (WLB) in the IT sector at Bank Rakyat. The objective is to examine the effects of workload (WL), work flexibility (WF), and core self-evaluation (CSE) on WLB, with telecommuting as a mediating factor. It acknowledges the challenges of increased workloads during the shift to remote work in IT and the importance of understanding the relationship between workload and WLB for effective telecommuting policies. The study highlights potential downsides of higher workloads and the need for customized telecommuting guidelines to ensure WLB. Grounded in the Job Demand Resources Model, data were collected from 181 junior IT executives at Bank Rakyat's headquarters using purposive sampling. A two-stage structural equation approach assessed the validity, reliability, and impact of variables. Results show telecommuting positively influences WLB by enhancing work flexibility and CSE, while workload does not significantly affect WLB among IT staff at Bank Rakyat. This research provides insight into the relationships between WL, WF, CSE, and WLB, and offers an understanding of how telecommuting helps junior executives at Bank Rakyat balance work and personal life.

How do personal resources and homeroom teacher job demands influence teachers’ professional identity? A perspective based on the job demands‐resources model

AbstractProfessional identity is essential for a qualified teacher; however, the imbalance between job resources and demands is a serious impediment to promoting teachers’ professional identity. Given that personal job resources (i.e., teachers’ socioemotional competence and psychological capital) and challenging job demands (homeroom/non‐homeroom teachers) are distinctive—but understudied—job characteristics, this study examines their role in fostering teachers’ professional identity, based on the Job Demands‐Resources (JD‐R) model. Data from 432 secondary school teachers in Henan Province, China were collected using the Chinese versions of the Teacher Socioemotional Competence Scale, Psychological Capital Scale, and Teacher Professional Identity Scale. The results showed that teachers’ socioemotional competence positively predicted their professional identity. The moderating mediator analysis showed that the mediating role of psychological capital and the moderating role of being a homeroom or non‐homeroom teacher contributed immensely to teachers’ professional identity. The identification of this moderated mediation model broadens our understanding of the JD‐R model by demonstrating the interplay between personal job resources and challenging job demands. This study also emphasizes the imperative for optimizing the balance between “demands” and “resources” to enhance teachers’ professional identity, and proposes effective interventions.

Job demands-resources on digital gig platforms and counterproductive work behavior.

With the rapid expansion of digital gig platforms, counterproductive work behavior among gig workers has become increasingly prominent, adversely impacting the platform's reputation, operational efficiency, and user experience. This study aims to explore how job demands and job resources influence counterproductive work behavior among gig workers. Grounded in the Job Demands-Resources model and Job Engagement Theory, this study develops a second-order chain mediation structural model to analyze the effects of job demands (Work pace/workload, physical demands, psychological demands, and customer-related social stressors) and job resources (Compensation, job security, learning opportunities, and opportunities for professional development) on counterproductive work behavior. Cognitive, emotional, and behavioral engagement are also examined as mediators. Job demands positively influence counterproductive work behavior, while job resources have a negative impact. Cognitive, emotional, and behavioral engagement each negatively affect counterproductive work behavior. Additionally, platform formalization moderates the negative influence of gig workers' engagement on counterproductive work behavior. This research provides a comprehensive theoretical framework for digital gig platform managers to understand and predict gig workers' counterproductive work behavior. It also offers practical implications for optimizing the work environment, enhancing job engagement, and mitigating counterproductive work behavior, thus fostering mutual development between gig workers and the platform.

Exploring the Relationships Among Display Rules, Emotional Job Demands, Emotional Labour and Kindergarten Teachers' Occupational Well‐Being

ABSTRACTThis study investigates the intricate relationships among display rules, emotional job demands (EJD), emotional labour and the occupational well‐being (OWB) of kindergarten teachers in China. Utilising the job demands–resources (JD‐R) model, this study specifically assesses the influence of EJD and displays rules on two dimensions of teachers' OWB (job satisfaction and emotional exhaustion), while exploring the mediating role of emotional labour strategies. Data were collected from a sample of 1220 Chinese kindergarten teachers. By employing structural equation modelling and mediation analysis, the findings reveal that positive display rules can enhance job satisfaction and alleviate emotional exhaustion. Conversely, negative display rules are linked to heightened emotional exhaustion and diminished job satisfaction. The analysis further discerns that two emotional labour strategies significantly mediate these associations. Surface acting exacerbates adverse outcomes, whereas the natural expression of emotions acts as a salient buffer, augmenting job satisfaction and reducing emotional exhaustion. In addition, EJD can positively predict job satisfaction through deep acting. These insights underscore the necessity of cultivating educational environments that advocate for natural emotional expression and reinforce positive display rules, thereby enhancing teachers' OWB. This research offers valuable implications for educational policymakers and practitioners, emphasising the need to address the emotional aspects of teaching in early childhood education.

How supervisor Machiavellianism affects graduate student creativity: a mediated moderation model

ABSTRACT Innovation and creativity are essential for graduate education, and supervisors have a substantial responsibility to foster the creative abilities of graduate students. However, empirical studies investigating how supervisor personality affects graduate student creativity are rare. To enhance the ability of higher education institutions to cultivate creativity among graduate students, we examined how supervisor Machiavellianism leads graduate students to perceived objectification, reducing graduate student creative performance based on the Job Demands-Resources model and Job-Demand-Control-Support theory. We proposed personal initiative as the moderator to explore boundary conditions of the relationship between supervisor Machiavellianism and perceived objectification. Results from 326 graduate students across three time points indicated that supervisor Machiavellianism negatively affects graduate students’ creative performance, and graduate students’ perceived objectification fully mediates the relationship. Additionally, graduate student personal initiative moderated this relationship. Graduate students with high personal initiative can mitigate the negative effects of Machiavellian supervisors. Our findings emphasize the significance of considering the individual traits of both supervisors and graduate students in graduate education with valuable theoretical and practical implications discussed.

How do online meal delivery platforms impact restaurant employees?

ABSTRACT Labor shortages in restaurants have led to an increased reliability on technology, including expanding restaurants’ capacity by using online meal delivery platforms (OMDPs) for delivery. Yet there is an incomplete understanding as to how this decision has impacted restaurant employees, namely, is it making the labor shortage worse? To answer this question, this study surveyed 279 front-of-house and back-of-house restaurant employees to understand how attitudes toward OMPDs effect job crafting, job satisfaction, and turnover intentions. The results were analyzed with PLS-SEM and a qualitative analysis was used as a sensitivity test. Drawing on conservation of resources and job demand resources theories, this study found that pre-established attitudes toward OMDPs mediated the relationship between the impact of OMPDs and workload on job crafting, job satisfaction, and turnover intentions. These results fill the current gap in the literature related to OMDPs and restaurant employees as well as providing crucial evidence that managing employee attitudes toward OMDPs can mitigate the impact of an increased workload for restaurateurs during this challenging time.

Flexible Work in the Public Sector: A Dual Perspective on Cognitive Benefits and Costs in Remote Work Environments

The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the adoption of flexible work arrangements within the Italian public administration. While much of the existing research has focused on the drawbacks of such arrangements, there has been less exploration of their benefits. Cognitive demands related to the structure of work activities, planning of working hours, planning of workplaces, and coordination with others, under flexible working conditions, might be considered as job resources that act as challenging demands within the Job Demand-Resource (JD-R) model. This study aimed to explore how the “cognitive challenge of flexible work” (CCFW) impact job satisfaction through home-based performance, taking into account the role of weekly working hours on home-based performance. Furthermore, the potential moderating role of cognitive and physical job demands between CCFW and home-based performance was explored. Using structural equation modeling on data from 484 public employees, the findings confirmed the positive impact of the structure of work tasks and planning of working times on both job satisfaction and home-based performance. In addition, cognitive demands (i.e., perception of cognitive work overload) played a moderating role in the mediated relationship between coordinating with others on job satisfaction and the structure of working tasks on job satisfaction through home-based performance.

Effects of job demands, job resources, personal resources on night-shift alertness of ICU shift nurses: a cross‑sectional survey study based on the job demands-resources model

BackgroundA positive work environment can enhance nursing safety and patient satisfaction while alleviating nurse stress. Conversely, a poor work environment can harm nurses’ physical and mental health and compromise the quality of care, particularly in the high-intensity and shift-based setting of the ICU.ObjectivesBased on the Job demands-resources (JD-R) model, this study examined the effects of job demands and job resources in the work environment, as well as personal resources, on the night-shift alertness of ICU shift nurses.MethodsThis cross-sectional correlational exploratory study, conducted from July to September 2022, recruited 291 ICU shift nurses from a hospital in Beijing, China. The Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ), the Self-resilience scale, the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES), and the Psychomotor Vigilance Task (PVT) were used to subjectively and objectively measure the job demands, job resources, personal resources, and night-shift alertness. SPSS 26.0 and Mplus 8.3 were used to analyze the data and construct the structural equation model.ResultsThe night-shift reaction time was 251.0 ms (Median), indicating a relatively high level of alertness. Job demands were negatively correlated with both job resources (r=-0.570, P < 0.001) and personal resources (r=-0.462, P < 0.001), while a positive correlation existed between job resources and personal resources (r = 0.554, P < 0.001). The results show that increased job demands can lead to higher levels of nurse strain (β = 0.955, P < 0.001), whereas job resources were found that it can decrease strain (β=-0.477, P = 0.047). Adequate job resources can enhance motivation directly (β = 0.874, P < 0.001), subsequently reducing reaction time (β=-0.148, P = 0.044) and improving night-shift alertness among ICU shift nurses.ConclusionEnhancing ICU shift nurses’ work motivation through bolstering job resources can boost night-shift alertness. However, it is noteworthy that, in this study, neither strain nor individual resources significantly influenced nurses’ night-shift alertness. This may be attributed to the complexity of the ICU environment and individual differences. Future research should explore the relationship between these factors and nurses’ work alertness.

Psychosocial workplace safety in mental health services - Commentary and considerations to improve safety.

Psychosocially unsafe workplaces are related to burnout, especially amongst trainees and psychiatrists. Burgeoning research on psychosocial workplace safety indicates the importance of organisational governance to reduce adverse professional, and consequently patient, outcomes in healthcare by balancing job demands and resources. We provide a brief commentary on the relevance of the concept of the Psychosocial Safety Climate model for mental health services and healthcare workers, and considerations for action. Based on the Extended Job Demand-Resource model, the Psychosocial Safety Climate model has been developed and validated in community and healthcare environments. Psychosocial safety is also an Australian workplace safety requirement. An important direction to improve working conditions, reduce adverse outcomes, and improve recruitment and retention of healthcare workers, may be to adopt and formalise psychosocial workplace safety as a key performance indicator of equal importance to productivity for mental healthcare services.