The Impact of Personal Resources and Job Crafting Interventions on Work Engagement and Performance

• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1002/hrm.21758
• Published date: 01 January 2017
• Date: 01 January 2017

Human Resource Management, January–February 2017, Vol. 56, No. 1. Pp. 51–67

© 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Published online in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com).

DOI:10.1002/hrm.21758

Correspondence to: Jessica van Wingerden, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Department of Work and Organizational

Psychology, Woudestein, Room T12-43, P.O. Box 1738, 3000 DR Rotterdam, The Netherlands, Phone: +31 626975039,

E-mail: jessica.vanwingerden@gmail.com

than their nonengaged colleagues. Furthermore,

Bakker and Bal (2010) have shown that teach-

ers’ work engagement is positively related to their

job performance. Because of these findings, edu-

cational organizations are interested in foster-

ing employee work engagement and improving

performance.

Work engagement is defined as a positive,

fulfilling, work-related state of mind that is char-

acterized by vigor, dedication, and absorption

(Schaufeli, Salanova, González-Romá, & Bakker,

2002). According to the job demands–resources

(JD-R) model (Bakker & Demerouti, 2008, 2014),

job and personal resources are the most important

predictors of work engagement. Job resources are

aspects of the job that are functional in achiev-

ing work goals and reducing job demands and the

In an unstable economic environment, orga-

nizations look for ways to outperform their

competitors and stand out to survive. While

the general public often assumes that only

for-profit organizations are competitive, non-

profit and public services organizations must also

show their added value. Especially in the field

of education, employees can make an important

difference and have a crucial impact on organiza-

tional results. Teachers, for example, can directly

influence the quality of education and the per-

formance of their students (Clotfelter, Ladd, &

Vigdor, 2007; Rivkin, Hanushek, & Kain, 2005).

Recent studies in the Dutch educational field

have shown that engaged teachers work harder,

are more innovative (Konermann, 2012), and are

more creative (Bakker & Xanthopoulou, 2013)

THE IMPACT OF PERSONAL

RESOURCES AND JOB CRAFTING

INTERVENTIONS ON WORK

ENGAGEMENT AND PERFORMANCE

JESSICA VAN WINGERDEN, DAANTJE DERKS,

ANDARNOLD B. BAKKER

This study examined the impact of organizational interventions on work engage-

ment and performance. Based on the job demands–resources model, we hypoth-

esized that a personal resources intervention and a job crafting intervention

would have a positive impact on work engagement and performance. We used

a quasi-experimental design with a control group. Primary school teachers par-

ticipated in the study at two time points with six weeks between the measure-

ments ( N= 102). The results showed that the personal resources intervention

had a positive causal effect on work engagement. Additionally, the joint personal

resources and job crafting intervention had a positive impact on self-ratings of

job performance. We discuss the implications of these fi ndings for theory and

practice. ©2015Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Keywords: employee engagement, JD-R model, job crafting, job performance,

organizational interventions, personal resources, work engagement

52 HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT, JANUARY–FEBRUARY 2017

Human Resource Management DOI: 10.1002/hrm

Work engagement

occurs when

employees have

an optimal balance

between their job

demands, such

as workload and

demanding pupils,

and their resources,

such as feedback,

self-efficacy, and

social support.

and resources, or the combination. The practical

aspect of these interventions is especially relevant

given that the educational field is characterized by

a high workload and a high prevalence of burnout

symptoms (Koppes, De Vroome, Mol, Janssen, &

Van den Bossche, 2011).

Theoretical Background

Work Engagement and Performance

According to Schaufeli & Bakker (2004), work

engagement is an active, positive work-related

state that is characterized by vigor, dedication, and

absorption. Vigor is characterized by high levels of

energy and mental resilience while working, the

willingness to invest effort in one’s work, and per-

sistence even in the face of difficulties. Dedication

refers to being strongly involved in one’s work and

experiencing a sense of significance, enthusiasm,

inspiration, pride, and challenge. Finally, absorp-

tion is characterized by being fully concentrated

and happily engrossed in one’s work, where time

passes quickly (Schaufeli & Bakker, 2010).

Work engagement can be predicted using the

JD-R model (Bakker, 2011; Bakker & Demerouti,

2007; Demerouti et al., 2001). Research revealed

that the JD-R model can be applied to all work

environments (for an overview, see Bakker &

Demerouti, 2014). The model provides a clear

description of the way demands, resources, psy-

chological states, and outcomes are associated.

According to Bakker & Demerouti (2007), every

job can be modeled using two different job char-

acteristics: job demands and job resources. The

JD-R model suggests that the combination of high

job demands and low resources leads to high lev-

els of strain, which leads to physical and psycho-

logical costs. In contrast, the combination of high

demands and high resources leads to high levels

of motivation, involvement, and work engage-

ment (Rodriguez-Muñoz, Sanz-Vergel, Demerouti,

& Bakker, 2012; Tuckey, Bakker, & Dollard, 2012).

Additionally, personal resources can be helpful in

dealing with the job demands and may contribute

to improved performance (Bakker, Tims, & Derks,

2012). However, having extensive resources does

associated costs (Demerouti, Bakker, Nachreiner, &

Schaufeli, 2001). Personal resources concern indi-

viduals’ sense of their ability to control their envi-

ronment successfully (Hobfoll, Johnson, Ennis, &

Jackson, 2003). Work engagement occurs when

employees have an optimal balance between their

job demands, such as workload and demanding

pupils, and their resources, such as feedback, self-

efficacy, and social support.

The JD-R model suggests that work engage-

ment and performance can be fostered through

interventions that stimulate participants to opti-

mize their job demands and (job and personal)

resources (Bakker & Demerouti, 2014; Demerouti

& Bakker, 2011). For example, effective interven-

tions could be a personal resources intervention

to increase personal resources (Demerouti, van

Eeuwijk, Snelder, & Wild, 2011) or

a job crafting intervention to opti-

mize job demands and job resources

(Van den Heuvel, Demerouti, &

Peeters, 2012). Job crafting involves

the self-initiated changes employ-

ees make in their job design (Tims,

Bakker, & Derks, 2012). A qualitative

job crafting intervention study by

Van Wingerden, Derks, Bakker and

Dorenbosch (2013) indicates that

job crafting is very useful for teach-

ers. Although teachers work in a

demanding work environment and

may not have control over significant

portions of their workload, they can

use and increase their job resources

to deal with their job demands.

While the research evidence for the

JD-R model is accumulating, no stud-

ies have investigated interventions

aimed at both types of resources (job

and personal resources). To the best

of our knowledge, no studies in the educational

domain have attempted to foster work engagement

or improve job performance by using organiza-

tional interventions. Therefore, the central aim of

the present study, which is based on the principles

of the JD-R model, was to assess the effects of two

organizational interventions, both independently

and together, aimed at fostering work engagement

and improving performance. Figure 1 illustrates

the central aim of this study.

This study contributes to the literature on

interventions by using an experimental pretest,

posttest control group design in the educational

field. With this design, potential intervention

effects on work engagement and performance can

be traced back to the specific components of the

intervention: personal resources, job demands

FIGURE 1. Research Model

+

+

+

+

+

+

Personal Resources

Intervention

Job Crafting

Intervention

Intervention

Combining

Personal Resources

+

Job Crafting

Work Engagement

Performance