Work design influences: A synthesis of multilevel factors that affect the design of jobs

High-quality work design is a key determinant of employee well-being, positive work attitudes, and job/organizational performance. Yet, many job incumbents continue to experience deskilled and demotivating work. We argue that there is a need to understand better where work designs come from. We revi...

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Main Authors: Parker, Sharon, Van Den Broeck, A., Holman, D.
Format: Journal Article
Published: 2017
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/69813
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author Parker, Sharon
Van Den Broeck, A.
Holman, D.
author_facet Parker, Sharon
Van Den Broeck, A.
Holman, D.
author_sort Parker, Sharon
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description High-quality work design is a key determinant of employee well-being, positive work attitudes, and job/organizational performance. Yet, many job incumbents continue to experience deskilled and demotivating work. We argue that there is a need to understand better where work designs come from. We review research that investigates the factors that influence work design, noting that this research is only a small fragment of the work design literature. The research base is also rather disparate, spanning distinct theoretical perspectives according to the level of analysis. To help integrate this literature, we use a framework that summarizes the direct and indirect ways in which work design is shaped by the higher-level external context (global/international, national, and occupational factors), the organizational context, the local work context (work group factors), and individual factors. We highlight two key indirect effects: first, factors affect formal decision-making processes via influencing managers’ work design–related motivation, knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs), and opportunities; and second, factors shape informal and emergent work design processes via influencing employees’ work design– related motivation, KSAs, and opportunities. By reviewing the literature according to this framework, we set the stage for more comprehensive theoretical development and empirical studies on the factors that influence work design.
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-698132018-10-09T07:41:00Z Work design influences: A synthesis of multilevel factors that affect the design of jobs Parker, Sharon Van Den Broeck, A. Holman, D. High-quality work design is a key determinant of employee well-being, positive work attitudes, and job/organizational performance. Yet, many job incumbents continue to experience deskilled and demotivating work. We argue that there is a need to understand better where work designs come from. We review research that investigates the factors that influence work design, noting that this research is only a small fragment of the work design literature. The research base is also rather disparate, spanning distinct theoretical perspectives according to the level of analysis. To help integrate this literature, we use a framework that summarizes the direct and indirect ways in which work design is shaped by the higher-level external context (global/international, national, and occupational factors), the organizational context, the local work context (work group factors), and individual factors. We highlight two key indirect effects: first, factors affect formal decision-making processes via influencing managers’ work design–related motivation, knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs), and opportunities; and second, factors shape informal and emergent work design processes via influencing employees’ work design– related motivation, KSAs, and opportunities. By reviewing the literature according to this framework, we set the stage for more comprehensive theoretical development and empirical studies on the factors that influence work design. 2017 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/69813 10.5465/annals.2014.0054 restricted
spellingShingle Parker, Sharon
Van Den Broeck, A.
Holman, D.
Work design influences: A synthesis of multilevel factors that affect the design of jobs
title Work design influences: A synthesis of multilevel factors that affect the design of jobs
title_full Work design influences: A synthesis of multilevel factors that affect the design of jobs
title_fullStr Work design influences: A synthesis of multilevel factors that affect the design of jobs
title_full_unstemmed Work design influences: A synthesis of multilevel factors that affect the design of jobs
title_short Work design influences: A synthesis of multilevel factors that affect the design of jobs
title_sort work design influences: a synthesis of multilevel factors that affect the design of jobs
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/69813