The effect of job crafting on job engagement：Based on the method of relative importance analysis.

Abstract

Job crafting is a complementary method for traditional job design, and has positive effect on both employees and organizations. It is commonly acknowledged that job crafting, as a whole, positively affects job engagement. However, prior research examining this relationship has yet to consider the comparing effect of the separate dimensions and different measurements of job crafting on job engagement. The present investigation explores the different effects of different measurements and dimensions of job crafting on job engagement. Using survey method, we collected data from a diversity of organizations and utilized a sample of 327 employees in China to examine the hypotheses. The results indicated that: (1) cognitive crafting and task crafting significantly influence job engagement, whereas relationship crafting does not. The relative importance of tasking crafting, cognitive crafting and relationship crafting on job engagement declines; (2)increasing structure job resources and increasing challenging job demands have positive effect on job engagement, whereas increasing social job resources and decreasing hindering job demands do not. The effect sizes of increasing structure job resources, increasing challenging job demands, increasing social job resources and decreasing hindering job demands gradually diminish; (3)as predicted, Tims’ four-dimension job crafting scale explains more for job engagement than Slemp’s three-dimension job crafting questionnaire. What calls for special attention is that the difference is very small. The theoretical and practical implication of these finding are also discussed.