Job crafting: meaning, types, advantages and disadvantages

Job crafting are self-initiated proactive changes employees make to their job so as to make it align with their needs. Job crafting is a specific method of job design. Other methods of job design include job rotation, job enlargement, job simplification and job enrichment.

Image source: Czym jest Job Crafting? - IC

What is job crafting?

Job crafting is a process in which employees customize their jobs in ways they find meaningful. It is a self-driven process as employees do it without being told by their leaders or managers. Employees do job crafting to make their job align better fit with their needs and passion. However, this doesn't mean that they design a complete job from the scratch, but they only make small changes to their job to make it better fit for them. Though job crafting is initiated by employees themselves, still managers, leaders and HR have something to do to nurture, encourage, and enable it. Some ways that managers or employers can use to support job crafting in an organization are: 

• Start a conversation with staff about job crafting 
• Create space for crafting in the job description and daily activities 
• Evaluate candidates for a strong sense of self-motivation during the hiring process

You can also read: Job inventory: meaning, advantages and disadvantages

Types of job crafting

1. Task crafting:

This is a type of job crafting that involves modifications of tasks that make up a job, for instance changing the number of tasks to perform and changing the ways of performing those tasks.

2. Relationship crafting:

This is a type of job crafting that involves changing how employees interact with their colleagues, customers and others at work place. The main aim of relationship crafting is to improve interaction and collaboration at work. 

3. Cognitive crafting:

Another type of job crafting that involves changing of perceptions employees have about their tasks and relationships for the aim of making their work more meaningful.

You can also read: 7 Most Important Components (Key Elements) Any Job Description Should Have

Advantages of job crafting

Below are the benefits of job crafting to organizations.

 

Job satisfaction:

With job crafting employees can redesign their jobs in ways they think can fit their needs, strengths and passion. This can result to high job satisfaction and motivation to employees.

Reduce absenteeism and turnover:

When a job fit the needs of employees, they are more likely satisfied with a job. This can reduce number of turnovers and absenteeism in an organization. 

Raise performance and productivity:

Since employees love what they do, this can increase their commitment to a job and result to high performance and productivity. 

Encourages creativity:

Job crafting can motivate employees to think outside the box and come up with new innovative ideas. 

You can also read: What are the 5 Characteristics of a motivating job? (Hackman and Oldham’s Job characteristics model - JCM)

Disadvantages of job crafting

Despite of being beneficial to both organization and employees, job crafting has also some pitfalls. Below are the disadvantages of job crafting.

1. Employees may make changes that do not align with organization goals, this may hinder achievement of the organizational goals.

2. Employees may be exploited if they take on additional responsibilities without a pay increase.

3. It may create role ambiguity and conflicts in organization.

You can also read: Job Description: Meaning, Components, Objectives, Uses, Characteristics and Importance