Which employees craft their jobs and how? Basic dimensions of personality and employees' job crafting behaviour

The aim of the current research was to examine to what degree basic personality dimensions serve as determinants of job crafting behaviour and to investigate how this behaviour can be influenced via behavioural intentions. In Study 1, we investigated the relationship of approach and avoidance temperament with job crafting in terms of seeking resources, seeking challenges, and reducing demands in a sample of 193 international employees. In Study 2 (n = 130 employees), we experimentally manipulated the current motivational state in terms of approach/avoidance goals and measured job crafting behaviours in a follow-up survey. Results confirmed that employees scoring high on approach temperament report to seek resources and demands, whereas employees scoring high on avoidance temperament tend to reduce hindering demands in the workplace. Furthermore, the manipulation of goals had indirect effects on job crafting via behavioural intentions. Although the effects of the concentration on approach goals on job crafting were contradictory to our expectations, the pursuit of avoidance goals led to higher demands-reducing behaviour. Taking everything together, we provide important insights into the effects of basic personality dimensions on job crafting behaviour and highlight the possibilities and boundaries for managers to influence the job crafting behaviours of employees. Practitioner points •Our study provides insights about which types of employees alter their job demands and resources. •Employees scoring high on approach temperament seek resources and demands, whereas employees scoring high on avoidance temperament reduce demands. •Managers are able to influence job crafting behaviour indirectly by stimulating the pursuit of approach and/or avoidance goals. •A sole focus on (performance) approach goals might have hindering effects in terms of positive job crafting behaviours