The importance of relational work design characteristics: A person-centred approach. Issue 4 (November 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Knight, Caroline; McLarnon, Matthew J W; Wenzel, Ramon; Parker, Sharon
• Is Part Of: Australian journal of management. Volume 47:Issue 4(2022)
• Page Start: 705
• Page End: 728
• Publication Date: 2022-11
• Subjects: Job demands-control-support model -- latent profile analysis -- person-centred approach -- prosocial characteristics -- relational characteristics -- work characteristics -- work design; Management -- Periodicals; Management -- Australia -- Periodicals; Business enterprises -- Finance -- Periodicals; Industrial management -- Australia -- Periodicals; 330
• DOI: 10.1177/03128962211073021
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0312-8962

Abstract

Adopting a person-centred approach, we integrate the job demands-control-support model with relational work design theory to investigate employee work design profiles involving autonomy, workload, social support and prosocial characteristics (representing the combined influence of task significance and beneficiary contact). For a sample of Australian not-for-profit employees ( N = 2421), we identified four work design profiles: 'active connected', 'passive disconnected', 'high strain disconnected' and 'controlled disconnected'. The most favourable profile, active connected, demonstrated the highest vigour and social worth, and was predicted by people being in higher managerial positions and having permanent employment contracts. The high strain disconnected and controlled disconnected profiles were associated with greater psychological exhaustion. Longer working hours predicted membership of the high strain disconnected profile. JEL Classification:L31, L30, L20, L29