Craft a job better, recover better? The roles of work–nonwork conflict and work demands

• Published in: PsyCh journal Vol. 12; no. 2; pp. 238 - 249
• Main Authors: Shi, Yanwei, Su, Jingxuan, Zhang, Nan, Ma, Hongyu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Melbourne John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd 01.04.2023; John Wiley & Sons, Inc
• Subjects: China; conservation of resources theory; Female; Humans; job crafting; Male; recovery experience; Surveys and Questionnaires; work demand; work–nonwork conflict; China; job crafting; recovery experience; work-nonwork conflict; conservation of resources theory; work demand
• ISSN: 2046-0252; 2046-0260
• DOI: 10.1002/pchj.615

Based on the conservation of resources theory, this two‐wave study investigated the mediating role of work–nonwork conflict in the relationship between job crafting and employee recovery experience and examined the moderating role of work demands in this relationship. Participants were 486 employees (39.3% male and 60.7% female) from a medical company in the central region of China who responded to a paper‐and‐pencil survey twice with a 1‐month interval. Regression‐based results indicated that job crafting positively predicted recovery experience after work through lower work–nonwork conflict. Furthermore, the association between job crafting and work–nonwork conflict was moderated by work demands, such that the effect was stronger for employees with higher work demands. The present study explains how job crafting may improve employees' after‐work recovery experience and addresses whether this process could be more significant for employees with higher work demands. The conclusion has practical implications for improving employee recovery experience.