Job design

About: Job design is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 9218 publications have been published within this topic receiving 426180 citations.

Causal inferences between participation in decision making, task attributes, work effort, rewards, job satisfaction and commitment

Abstract: Purpose – Regulatory frameworks in Australia encourage employee participation in decision making (PDM) on the basis that participation benefits work effort, job satisfaction and commitment Although the literature supports this premise, there is little evidence that patterns of causal inference in the relationship are clearly understood This study aims to examine for structural and causal inference between PDM and the work environment over timeDesign/methodology/approach – Structural equation modeling was used to examine longitudinal, matched sample data for causal inferencesFindings – The paper finds that participation in decision making appears to promote job satisfaction and commitment, whereas task variety and work effort foster participationResearch limitations/implications – The use of quantitative, self report data, small samples and cross industry data as well as possible overlap between commitment foci may limit the transferability of the findings It is also important to note causality is me

Employee Reactions to Job Characteristics: A Constructive Replication

Abstract: Hackman and Lawler's conceptual model involving relationships between job characteristics and employee affective reactions was investigated by a partial replication. Subjects, 104 emplos'ees occupying jobs aimed at rehabilitating inmates, completed a questionnaire involving their (a) perceptions of job core dimensions; (b) internal work motivation; (c) general job satisfaction; (d) job involvement; (e) higher order need strength; and (f) specific satisfactions measured by Job Descriptive Index items. Significant, positive correlations were found between job dimensions and employee reactions. While the results were in the direction of Hackman and Lawler's finding that higher order need strength moderated the job characteristics-employee reaction relationship, the role of higher order need strength was found to be more complex. Several researchers have argued that shortcycle, repetitive jobs cost an organization in terms of increased job dissatisfaction, absenteeism and turnover, and difficulties in effectively managing employees who perceive their jobs as monotonous (e.g., Blauner, 1964; Guest, 19SS; Walker, 19SO; Walker & Guest, 19S2). In response to these arguments against simplified work, numerous students of worker behavior have called for the vertical and horizontal expansion of jobs (e.g., Ford, 1969; Lawler, 1969; Sheppard & Herrick, 1972).

Comparative effects of personal and situational influences on job outcomes of new professionals.

Abstract: We investigated the relative and combined effects of personal and situational variables on job outcomes of new professionals. The personal variables were cognitive ability, socioeconomic status, and career goals; the situational variables were job feedback, autonomy, and job context. Data were collected at two times from 280 newly hired, entry-level accountants at "Big Eight" firms. Both personal and situational variables predict job outcomes, but their relative influence depends on the outcome measure. Situational variables account for the most variance in job performance, job satisfaction, and organizational commitment; personal variables account for the most variance in promotability, internal work motivation, and turnover. The findings indicate that job performance does not take care of itself by selecting bright people, but requires constant vigilance and effective systems. The results also suggest that a given result can be achieved through a variety of behavioral science

Corporate Social Responsibility and Employee Engagement: Enabling Employees to Employ More of Their Whole Selves at Work

Abstract: Research at the individual level of corporate social responsibility (CSR) has been growing rapidly. Yet we still lack a more complete understanding of why and how individuals (i.e., employees) are affected by CSR. This study contributes to that gap by exploring the relationship between CSR and employee engagement. Moreover, in order to address the problem of low levels of employee engagement in the workplace, CSR is proposed and tested as a pathway for engaging a significant part of the workforce. Building on engagement theory, a model is tested in which CSR enables employees to bring more of their whole selves to work, which results in employees being more engaged. Data from 15,184 employees in a large professional service firm in the USA was analyzed using structural equation modeling. Results show that authenticity (i.e., being able to show one's whole self at work) positively and significantly mediates the relationship between CSR and employee engagement. However, the other mediator tested in this study, perceived organizational support (POS; i.e., direct benefits to the employee), did not significantly mediate the relationship. In addition, results of moderated mediation suggest that when CSR is extra-role (i.e., not embedded in one's job design such as volunteering), it weakens the relationship between CSR and employee engagement. Moreover, post hoc analyses show that even when POS is controlled for, authenticity has an impact above and beyond POS on employee engagement. These results extend prior CSR literature which has often been top-down and has focused on how employees will be positively affected by what the organization can give them (e.g., POS). Rather, a bottom-up approach might reveal that the more that employees can give of their whole selves, the more engaged they might be at work.