Assessing job crafting competencies to predict tradeoffs between competing outcomes
Patrick F. Bruning, Michael A. Campion
Human Resource Management · 2022 · Volume 61 · Issue 1
Abstract
We introduce the job crafting competency construct and apply it to predict tradeoffs between competing outcomes that are inherent in job crafting, like performance and well-being or engagement and withdrawal. Job crafting competencies arethe clusters of individual knowledge,skills,and abilities that are necessary to achieve personal objectives through effective job crafting problem-solving. We create a framework of job crafting competencies consisting of comprehensive/simplistic heuristic information use and approach/avoidance problem-solving skills. In Study 1, we operationalize competencies as profiles demonstrated through an aptitude-oriented assessment that predicts differences in outcomes. Five distinct profiles emerged in a sample of 174 workers. Thehigh-volume analytic problem-solvingprofile was associated with higher performance and strain, while theambivalent acquiescenceprofile was associated with lower performance and strain. Thepractical problem-solvingprofile minimized tradeoffs between performance and strain.Rapid problem-solvingandlow-volume analytic problem-solvingprofiles were variants in between these other patterns. Study 2 used a survey of 323 workers to support the uniqueness of the five competencies, and their relationships with approach/avoidance job crafting, engagement, and withdrawal. The research identifies a new job crafting individual difference (job crafting competencies) to delineate outcomes and tradeoffs according to unique competency profiles.
Keywords
heuristics, job crafting, job design, motivation, performance, stress, work competencies
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