Showing papers on "Job design published in 2007"

The Role of Personal Resources in the Job Demands-Resources Model

Abstract: This study examined the role of three personal resources (self-efficacy, organizational-based self-esteem, and optimism) in the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model. The authors hypothesized that personal resources (1) moderate the relationship between job demands and exhaustion, (2) mediate the relationship between job resources and work engagement, and (3) relate to how employees perceive their work environment and well-being. Hypotheses were tested among 714 Dutch employees. Results showed that personal resources did not offset the relationship between job demands and exhaustion. Instead, personal resources mediated the relationship between job resources and engagement/exhaustion and influenced the perception of job resources. The implications of these findings for the JD-R model are discussed.

Integrating Motivational, Social, and Contextual Work Design Features: A Meta-Analytic Summary and Theoretical Extension of the Work Design Literature

Abstract: The authors developed and meta-analytically examined hypotheses designed to test and extend work design theory by integrating motivational, social, and work context characteristics. Results from a summary of 259 studies and 219,625 participants showed that 14 work characteristics explained, on average, 43% of the variance in the 19 worker attitudes and behaviors examined. For example, motivational characteristics explained 25% of the variance in subjective performance, 2% in turnover perceptions, 34% in job satisfaction, 24% in organizational commitment, and 26% in role perception outcomes. Beyond motivational characteristics, social characteristics explained incremental variances of 9% of the variance in subjective performance, 24% in turnover intentions, 17% in job satisfaction, 40% in organizational commitment, and 18% in role perception outcomes. Finally, beyond both motivational and social characteristics, work context characteristics explained incremental variances of 4% in job satisfaction and 16% in stress. The results of this study suggest numerous opportunities for the continued development of work design theory and practice.

Job Resources Boost Work Engagement, Particularly When Job Demands Are High

Abstract: This study of 805 Finnish teachers working in elementary, secondary, and vocational schools tested 2 interaction hypotheses. On the basis of the job demands-resources model, the authors predicted that job resources act as buffers and diminish the negative relationship between pupil misbehavior and work engagement. In addition, using conservation of resources theory, the authors hypothesized that job resources particularly influence work engagement when teachers are confronted with high levels of pupil misconduct. In line with these hypotheses, moderated structural equation modeling analyses resulted in 14 out of 18 possible 2-way interaction effects. In particular, supervisor support, innovativeness, appreciation, and organizational climate were important job resources that helped teachers cope with demanding interactions with students.

Relational Job Design and the Motivation to Make a Prosocial Difference

Abstract: This article illustrates how work contexts motivate employees to care about making a positive difference in other people's lives. I introduce a model of relational job design to describe how jobs spark the motivation to make a prosocial difference, and how this motivation affects employees' actions and identities. Whereas existing research focuses on individual differences and the task structures of jobs, I illuminate how the relational architecture of jobs shapes the motivation to make a prosocial difference.

The Moderating Role of Employee Positive Well Being on the Relation Between Job Satisfaction and Job Performance

Abstract: This research provides further clarification to the age-old quest to better understand the happy/ productive worker thesis. Using data from 109 managers employed by a large (over 5000 employees) customer services organization on the West Coast of the United States, both job satisfaction (r .36, p .01, 95% CI .18 to .52) and psychological well-being (PWB; r .43, p .01, 95% CI .26 to .58) were associated with supervisory performance ratings. Using Fredrickson’s (2001) broaden-and-build model as the theoretical base, the authors found that PWB moderates the relation between job satisfaction and job performance. Consistent with Fredrickson’s model, performance was highest when employees reported high scores on both PWB and job satisfaction. This moderating effect of PWB may account for some of the inconsistent results of previous studies.

Finding Workable Levers Over Work Motivation: Comparing Job Satisfaction, Job Involvement and Organizational Commitment

Abstract: This article draws on a sample of state government health and human service managers to develop and test a model of work motivation. We examine the effect of individual attributes, job characteristics, and organizational variables on three aspects of work motivation: job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and job involvement. We find that managers have varying degrees of influence over these different aspects of work motivation, with greatest influence over job satisfaction and least influence over job involvement. A number of variables are important for work motivation, including public service motivation, advancement opportunities, role clarity, job routineness, and group culture.

The relationship between satisfaction with workplace training and overall job satisfaction

Abstract: Opportunities for training and development are paramount in decisions regarding employee career choices. Despite the importance, many research studies on job satisfaction do not address satisfaction with workplace training as an element of overall job satisfaction, and many job satisfaction survey instruments do not include a “satisfaction with workplace training” component. This study examined the relationship between satisfaction with employer-provided workplace training and overall job satisfaction of customer contact representatives. A significant relationship was found between job training satisfaction and overall job satisfaction. Components of job training, including time spent in training, training methodologies, and content, were determined to be significant in their relationship to job training satisfaction, and trainees were significantly more satisfied with the training they received when the methodology employed was their preferred one. On the basis of these findings, conclusions were drawn and recommendations for researchers and practitioners in the field of HRD were made. It is important that those in the profession of human resource development look at how their work affects the multiple stakeholders for whom they provide services. Those who have defined HRD concur; many definitions include a results or outcome component. As an example, the Academy of Human Resource Development (AHRD) defines the HRD profession as a multidisciplinary field that focuses on training, career development, and organizational development with the goal of improving processes and enhancing the learning and performance of individuals, organizations, communities, and society (AHRD Standards

Person-organization fit and work-related attitudes and decisions: examining interactive effects with job fit and conscientiousness.

Abstract: This study examined boundary conditions that surround the importance of perceived person-organization (P-O) fit for work-related attitudes and decisions. The authors hypothesized that P-O fit is more strongly related to satisfaction and job choice decisions when needs-supplies (N-S) job fit or demands-abilities (D-A) job fit is low, and that P-O fit is more strongly related to job choice decisions for highly conscientious individuals. Hypotheses were tested among 299 participants in a 12-week internship program. Results indicated that P-O fit was more strongly related to satisfaction when individuals experienced low N-S job fit. P-O fit was more strongly related to job choice intentions when individuals experienced low D-A job fit or were highly conscientious. Finally, P-O fit was related to job offer acceptance for highly conscientious individuals.

A model of high performance work practices and turnover intentions

Abstract: – This paper aims to clarify the relationship between human resource practices and staff retention by selecting three high performance work practices (precursors) and one outcome variable (turnover intentions), and trying to demonstrate the mediator role of employee commitment and job satisfaction in this relationship., – The proposed model has been analyzed with a sample of 198 employees and a structural equation modeling methodology., – Salary strategies and job enrichment strategies were positively related to job satisfaction. Job enrichment strategies and job stability strategies were positively related to employee commitment. Employee commitment was negatively related to turnover intentions. The relationship between job satisfaction and turnover intentions was mediated by employee commitment, – One limitation of the findings is the use of self‐report questionnaires to collect data on all measures. Another potential limitation concerns the measurement of some latent factors with only two observable variables., – Turnover continues to be a serious problem for businesses. The proposed model suggests the use of specific practices that develop satisfaction and commitment as an intermediate step to low turnover intentions., – A sample of 198 workers was used as the source of information. This information offers clear advantages over the more widely used samples from managerial directors or statistical data gathered in human resource practices, as in this case. The perceptions of those people on whom these measures are directly carried out are readily accessible.

'Taking a sickie': Job satisfaction and job involvement as interactive predictors of absenteeism in a public organization

Abstract: Correlations between absenteeism and work attitudes such as job satisfaction have often been found to be disappointingly weak. As prior work reveals, this might be due to ignoring interactive effects of attitudes with different attitude targets (e.g. job involvement and organizational commitment). Drawing on basic principles in personality research and insights about the situational variability of job satisfaction judgments, we proposed that similar interactions should be present also for attitudes with the same target. More specifically, it was predicted that job involvement affects absenteeism more if job satisfaction is low as this indicates a situation with weak constraints. Both attitudes were assessed in a sample of 436 employees working in a large civil service organization, and two indexes of absence data (frequency and time lost) were drawn from personnel records covering a 12-month period following the survey. Whereas simple correlations were not significant, a moderated regression documented that the hypothesized interaction was significant for both indicators of absence behaviour. As a range of controls (e.g. age, gender, job level) were accounted for, these findings lend strong support to the importance of this new, specific form of attitude interaction. Thus, we encourage researchers not only to consider interactions of attitudes with a different focus (e.g. job vs. organization) but also interactions between job involvement and job satisfaction as this will yield new insights into the complex function of attitudes in influencing absenteeism. © 2007 The British Psychological Society.

Determinants of job mobility: A theoretical integration and extension

Abstract: The goals of this paper are to conceptually integrate and extend the diverse literature on job mobility. We introduce a multi-level theoretical framework that describes how individuals' job mobility unfolds. Three theoretical perspectives inform this framework. The structural perspective suggests that macro-level factors (e.g. economic conditions and industry differences) determine the opportunity structure of job mobility in the labour market. The individual difference perspective suggests that dispositional attributes affect a person's preferences for and subsequent behaviours associated with job mobility. The decisional perspective, grounded in the theory of planned behaviour (Ajzen, 1991), suggests that decisions to engage in job mobility are based on the evaluation of three factors: subjective norms, the desirability of the mobility option and individuals' readiness for change. The article concludes with a discussion of the multi-level nature of determinants of job mobility and directions for future research.

Job satisfaction as mediator: An assessment of job satisfaction's position within the nomological network

Abstract: Job satisfaction's position within the nomological network and the mechanism outlined by theories of social exchange suggest that job satisfaction functions as a mediator of the relationship between various antecedent variables and volitional workplace behaviours. We extend social exchange theory to include perceptions of the total job situation and develop a model that positions job satisfaction as a mediator of the relationships between various internal and external antecedent variables, and three volitional workplace behaviours: citizenship behaviours, counterproductive workplace behaviours, and job withdrawal. The fit of a fully mediated model is good and all four classes of antecedents (dispositions, workplace events, job characteristics, job opportunities) contributed uniquely to the prediction of satisfaction. Job satisfaction is also shown to mediate most antecedent-consequence relationships, although two important exceptions are evident. A direct link from pro-social disposition to OCBs, and a direct link and one from anti-social disposition to counterproductivity, suggest that job satisfaction does not fully moderate the relationships between dispositions and contextual behaviours.

Does TQM influence employees' job satisfaction? An empirical case analysis

Abstract: Purpose – This paper seeks to examine employees' perceptions of TQM practices and its impact on job satisfaction within a large Malaysian outsourced semiconductor assembly and test (OSAT) organization. Despite extensive research on TQM practices, none examines this scope of investigative study. Therefore, the proposed model was developed with the intention of examining this relationship.Design/methodology/approach – Original research using self‐completed questionnaires, distributed to all staff within this organization, is thoroughly reported. The study sample consisted of 230 employees, resulting in a response rate of 76.6 percent. A questionnaire developed by Wright and Cropanzana was used for ascertaining the level of overall job satisfaction. Data were analyzed by employing correlation and multiple regression analysis.Findings – The results revealed that teamwork, organizational trust, organizational culture and customer focus are positively associated with employees' job satisfaction. It is also foun...

Job and work analysis : methods, research, and applications for human resource management

Abstract: Preface 1. Introduction Overview of the Book The Uses of Job Analysis Definitions Building Blocks of Job Analysis Methods A Couple of Job Analysis Projects 2. Work-Oriented Methods Overview of the Chapter Time-and-Motion Study Functional Job Analysis Task Inventories Critical Incident Technique Chapter Summary 3. Worker-Oriented Methods Overview of the Chapter Job Element Method Position Analysis Questionnaire Other Trait-Based Worker-Oriented Measures Cognitive Task Analysis Chapter Summary 4. Hybrid Methods Overview of the Chapter Combination Job Analysis Method Multimethod Job Design Questionnaire Occupational Information Network Chapter Summary 5. Management and Teams Overview of the Chapter Management and Leadership Job Analysis for Teams Chapter Summary 6. Job Analysis and the Law Overview of the Chapter Federal Legislation Enforcement of Equal Employment Opportunity Laws Executive orders Professional Standards Prescriptions for Job Analysis Chapter Summary 7. Job Description, Performance Appraisal, Job Evaluation, and Job Design Overview of the Chapter Job Description Performance Appraisal Job Evaluation and Compensation Job Design/Redesign Chapter Summary 8. Staffing and Training Overview of the Chapter Staffing Training Chapter Summary 9. Doing a Job Analysis Study Overview of the Chapter Matching Purpose and Job Analysis Attributes Selecting Approaches Observations and Interviews Questionnaires Analyzing Data A Note About Accuracy in Job Analysis Chapter Summary 10. The Future of Job Analysis Overview of the Chapter Changing Conditions Implications for Jobs and Job Analysis Chapter Summary A Final Note Glossary References Index About the Authors

Types of Workplace Social Support in the Prediction of Job Satisfaction

Abstract: Research on social support and job satisfaction has yielded mixed results, partly because studies have rarely examined different types of workplace social support, such as collegial support, task support, coaching, and career mentoring. This study identified the relative contributions of different types of social support to job satisfaction and explored the relationship between social support and job tenure. Overall, social support accounted for approximately 17% of the variance in job satisfaction and 9% of the variance in job tenure. Career mentoring and task support were the types of social support most predictive of job satisfaction. Coaching and task support were the types of social support most predictive of job tenure.

Lean Production, Worker Empowerment, and Job Satisfaction: A Qualitative Analysis and Critique

Abstract: Many argue that increased employee involvement in manufacturing is central to lean production. Increasing the responsibilities and abilities of front-line workers has been labeled empowerment. Such empowerment is said to increase job satisfaction. Yet, there is surprisingly little qualitative research directly addressing the relationship between participatory work arrangements and job satisfaction, and the quantitative evidence is much less clear than oft en presented. Qualitative data presented here show that workers can be satisfied under relatively traditional Fordist arrangements and that increasing employee involvement does not necessarily increase satisfaction. My research highlights the role of individual work orientations in mediating the effects of objective characteristics of job design – such as participatory work arrangements – on job satisfaction. Further, individual preferences for work arrangements are shown not to be consistent and invariable, but context-dependent and subject to reevaluation. * The research for this article was made possible by a grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation for the Advanced Manufacturing Project (AMP) research consortium. This article is a revision of a presentation given at the 16th Annual Meeting on Socio-Economics, George Washington University, Washington DC, USA, July 8–11, 2004. I would like to thank those who attended the presentation for helpful suggestions, including Glenn Patmore, Ida Regalia, Daphne Taras, and Jelle Visser. Useful feedback on an earlier incarnation of this paper was given by Jennifer Farnham, Michael Handel, Dan Luria, Jamie Peck, Joel Rogers, Rob White,

Managing Occupational Stress in a High-Risk Industry: Measuring the Job Demands of Correctional Officers

Abstract: Occupational stress is an increasing health problem for the high-risk industries. The occupation of correctional officers has received relatively scant attention, contributing to a recent increase ...

`That is my job' How employees' role orientation affects their job performance

Abstract: Findings from two field studies support the proposition that the way individuals define their role, or their role orientation, is a powerful influence on their behaviour, resulting in more or less effective job performance. The first study showed that, within a relatively self-managing context, flexible role orientation predicted supervisory assessments of overall job performance, as well as a change in job performance. The second study showed flexible role orientation predicted job performance in high autonomy jobs but not low autonomy jobs. In both studies, role orientation predicted performance more strongly than other work attitudes, including job satisfaction, generalized self-efficacy, locus of control, and job aspiration. Collectively, the findings suggest that the development of a more flexible role orientation represents a relatively unexplored avenue for enhancing employee performance, particularly in self-managing contexts. As such, further research on the process of shaping and promoting emplo...

Assessing the impact of job involvement on performance

Abstract: Purpose – The hypothesized relationship between the attitude of job involvement and performance has received limited support. In 2002, Diefendorff et al. proposed that previous attempts to confirm this relationship were flawed, and subsequently found support for job involvement's criterion‐related validity. The present study seeks to provide another test of job involvement's association with performance.Design/methodology/approach – Data were gathered using a field sample combined within a longitudinal design. Hypotheses were tested using correlation and hierarchical regression.Findings – Employees’ self‐reported job involvement significantly predicted certain supervisor performance ratings above and beyond work centrality.Research limitations/implications – The psychological environment may have been disrupted by the public announcement that the focal organization had been acquired by an international firm shortly before data collection began.Practical implications – Encouraging greater job involvement m...

Job design in temporal context: a career dynamics perspective

Abstract: Leading theories of job design have neglected to incorporate the important context of time into their premises, hindering these theories' explanatory power and utility. We demonstrate how systematically incorporating the context of time, in relation to the specific example of career dynamics, will improve our understanding of job design. We discuss the contribution of time by examining how career dynamics may influence employees' reactions to stimulating jobs and their propensity to craft more stimulating jobs. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The effects of supportive management and job quality on the turnover intentions and health of military personnel

Abstract: To be competitive in today's increasingly complex and rapidly changing envi-ronment, organizations must retain personnel and promote the well-being of employees. We examine the relationship of both support provided to person-nel and job quality with employee health and turnover intentions among a sample of 450 military personnel. Factors involving the supportive manage-ment of personnel (i.e., supervisory support, organizational support, and work-life balance) and factors pertaining to job quality (i.e., work stimulation and job clarity) were indirectly related to health and to turnover intentions through the mediating influence of job satisfaction. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Doing good, doing harm, being well and burning out: The interactions of perceived prosocial and antisocial impact in service work

Abstract: Service employees often perceive their actions as harming and benefiting others, and these perceptions have significant consequences for their own well-being. We conducted tw os tudies to test the hypothesis that perceptions of benefiting others attenuate the detrimental effects of perceptions of harming others on the well-being of service employees. In Study 1, as urve yo f3 77 transportation service employees and 99 secretaries, perceive dp rosocial impact moderated the negative association between perceived antisocial impact and job satisfaction, such that the association decreased as perceived prosocial impact increased. In Study 2, as urve yo f7 9s chool teachers, perceived prosocial impact moderated the association between perceived antisocial impact and burnout, and this moderated relationship was mediated by moral justification; the results held after controlling for common antecedents of burnout. The results suggest that perceptions of benefiting others ma yp rotect service employees against the decreased job satisfaction and increased burnout typically associated with perceptions of harming others. Implications for research on burnout, job satisfaction, positive organizational scholarship and job design ar e discussed.

Effects of internal marketing on nurse job satisfaction and organizational commitment: example of medical centers in Southern Taiwan.

Abstract: As nurses typically represent the largest percentage of employees at medical centers, their role in medical care is exceptionally important and becoming more so over time. The quality and functions of nurses impact greatly on medical care quality. The concept of internal marketing, with origins in the field of market research, argues that enterprises should value and respect their employees by treating them as internal customers. Such a marketing concept challenges traditional marketing methods, which focus on serving external customers only. The main objective of internal marketing is to help internal customers (employees) gain greater job satisfaction, which should promote job performance and facilitate the organization accomplishing its ultimate business objectives. A question in the medical service industry is whether internal marketing can similarly increase the job satisfaction of nurses and enhance their commitment to the organization. This study aimed to explore the relational model of nurse perceptions related to internal marketing, job satisfaction, and organizational commitment by choosing nurses from two medical centers in Southern Taiwan as research subjects. Of 450 questionnaire distributed, 300 valid questionnaires were returned, giving a response rate of 66.7%. After conducting statistical analysis and estimation using structural equation modeling, findings included: (1) job satisfaction has positive effects on organizational commitment; (2) nurse perceptions of internal marketing have positive effects on job satisfaction; and (3) nurse perceptions of internal marketing have positive effects on organizational commitment.