The Relationship Between Job Crafting, Work Engagement, and Performance: A Meta-Analysis.

Although much research on the relationship between job crafting, work engagement, and performance has been conducted, mainly building on the job demands-resources (JD-R) model, it is still unclear whether work engagement mediates the relationship between the job crafting dimensions and performance as assumed by the JD-R model. To test this we statistically integrated 44 primary studies via random effects meta-analysis and examined the assumed mediation through work engagement via meta-analytic structural equation modelling. Moreover, we conducted exploratory moderator analyses to identify systematic variations in the relationships under study. Results showed that increasing structural and social job resources, as well as increasing challenging job demands were positively related to work engagement and performance, whereas decreasing hindering job demands was negatively related to work engagement and unrelated to performance. The relationships between job crafting practices and performance were mediated by work engagement to various extents. Exploratory moderator analyses demonstrated that the employees’ culture (individualistic vs. collectivistic) consistently moderated the relationships under study.