Job enlargement, job crafting and the moderating role of self-competence

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between job enlargement and some specific job crafting behaviors and to analyze the moderating role of self-competence. Design/methodology/approach – Data were gathered from 158 workers in a large retail company and analyzed through a regression methodology. Findings – Job enlargement is positively related to specific job crafting behaviors, such as increasing structural and social resources. Self-competence does not moderate the relationship between job enlargement and increasing structural resources; however, it does negatively moderate the relationship between job enlargement and increasing social resources. Research limitations/implications – This is a cross-sectional, single source study. Practical/implications – Organizations may implement job design policies aimed at facilitating the way workers proactively craft their jobs (increasing social and structural resources) by promoting a collaborative organizational culture and decreasing the social costs of job crafting initiatives. Originality/value – This study clarifies the role of contextual and personal antecedents to job crafting. More specifically, it shows that enlarged jobs and employees’ level of self-competence may significantly influence employees’ job crafting in the workplace.