How Do Job Crafting Profiles Manifest Employees’ Work Engagement, Workaholism, and Epistemic Approach?

Abstract

The present study identifies job crafting profiles of public sector employees and how they differ in terms of employees' work engagement, workaholism, and approach to learning. Participants represent various occupations from educational field (e.g., teachers), technical field (e.g., ICT-experts), and administrative field (e.g., customer servants). Using latent profile analysis, three job crafting profiles could be identified: Passive crafters (25%), Average crafters (57%), and Active crafters (18%). Passive crafters reported the lowest values in all approach-oriented job crafting strategies (increasing job resources and demands) and the highest value in avoidance-oriented job crafting (decreasing hindering job demands). Active crafters reached the highest values in all approach-oriented job crafting and the lowest value in avoidance-oriented job crafting. Average crafters used all job crafting strategies close to the average level. The lowest work engagement, workaholism, and reflective-collaborative approach to learning were reported by passive crafters. Both average crafters and active crafters reported higher workaholism and reflective-collaborative learning approach than passive crafters. Active crafters reported the highest work engagement. Study findings show the interplay between employees' job crafting, work engagement, workaholism, and epistemic approach. This study extends workplace learning research field by offering new theoretical information and is the first one exploring job crafting profiles and their differences regarding employees' epistemic approach; reflective learning, collaborative knowledge-building, and metacognition. Study discusses theoretical contributions and practical implementations, which may be used in work life induction, and in fostering job crafting and continuous workplace learning.