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Original Article

The Conceptualization and Measurement of Job Crafting

Validation of a German Version of the Job Crafting Scale

Published Online:October 14, 2016https://doi.org/10.1026/0932-4089/a000219

Abstract

Abstract. This research redefined the job demands–resources (JD-R) job crafting model (Tims & Bakker, 2010) to resolve theoretical and empirical inconsistencies regarding the crafting of job demands and developed a German version of the Job Crafting Scale (JCS; Tims, Bakker, & Derks, 2012) in two separate studies (total N = 512). In Study 1 the German version of the JCS was developed and tested for its factor structure, reliability, and construct validity. Study 2 dealt with the validity of our redefined JD-R job crafting model. The results show that, like the original version, the German version comprises four job crafting types, and the German version of the JCS is a valid and reliable generic measure that can be used for future research with German-speaking samples. Evidence for the redefined JD-R job crafting model was based on findings relating job crafting to work engagement and emotional exhaustion.


Die Konzeptualisierung und Messung von Job Crafting: Validierung einer deutschen Version der Job Crafting Scale

Zusammenfassung. Diese Arbeit redefinierte das Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) Job Crafting Model (Tims & Bakker, 2010), um theoretische und empirische Inkonsistenzen bezüglich Job Crafting von Arbeitsbeanspruchungen zu beseitigen. Darüber hinaus war das Ziel eine deutsche Version der Job Crafting Skala (JCS; Tims, Bakker, & Derks, 2012) zu entwickeln und deren psychometrische Eigenschaften zu untersuchen und somit das Konzept Job Crafting auch für die deutsche Forschung und Praxis zugänglich zu machen. Um diese Ziele zu erreichen, wurden zwei Studien (total N = 512) durchgeführt. In Studie 1 wurde die deutsche Version der JCS entwickelt und auf ihre Faktorstruktur, Reliabilität und Konstruktvalidität hin untersucht. Studie 2 befasste sich mit der Validität des redefinierten JD-R Job Crafting Model, indem wir annäherungsorientiertes von vermeidungsorientiertem Job Crafting unterscheiden. Die Ergebnisse der Studie 1 zeigen, dass die 4-Faktor-Struktur mit der deutschen Version repliziert werden konnte. Mit Bezug auf die Validität des redefinierten JD-R Job Crafting Model konnte gezeigt werden, dass annäherungsorientiertes Job Crafting positiv mit Arbeitsengagement und negativ mit emotionaler Erschöpfung zusammenhängt. Vermeidungsorientiertes Job Crafting hingegen hat gegensätzliche Effekte, es hängt negativ mit Arbeitsengagement und positiv mit emotionaler Erschöpfung zusammen. Zusammengefasst wurde zunächst mit dieser Arbeit ein psychometrisch valides und reliables Verfahren zur Erfassung von Job Crafting im deutschsprachigen Kontext entwickelt, das in Forschung und Praxis eingesetzt werden kann. Unser redefiniertes JD-R Job Crafting Model zeigt darüber hinaus, dass annäherungsorientiertes Job Crafting in der betrieblichen Praxis gefördert werden sollte, da es sich positiv auf die Motivation und Gesundheit von Mitarbeitenden auswirkt, wohingegen vermeidungsorientiertes Job Crafting möglichst gemindert werden sollte, da es sich negativ auf Motivation und Gesundheit auswirkt.

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