Working memory capacity and fluid intelligence as predictors of job crafting behaviours

I would like to present, discuss and submit for critical evaluation my ideas of conceptual framework integrating fluid intelligence (Gf) and working memory capacity (WMC) with job crafting behaviours (JCB) and employee... [ view full abstract ]

I would like to present, discuss and submit for critical evaluation my ideas of conceptual framework integrating fluid intelligence (Gf) and working memory capacity (WMC) with job crafting behaviours (JCB) and employee well-being in work (EWB). Job crafting is defined as “the physical and cognitive changes individuals make in the task or relational boundaries of their work. Thus, job crafting is an action, and those who undertake it are job crafters” (Wrzesniewski & Dutton, 2001. p.179). Performing job crafting the employee may undertake three primary types of activities: (1) increase the level of job resources, (2) increase the level of challenging job demands and (3) decrease the level of hindrance job demands (Tims, & Bakker 2010). It might be then stated that JCB is a form of solving work-related problems in which employees want to move from current unwanted state (e.g. not enough job resources) into some desired state (a proper level of resources). As these problems are ill-defined, their desired states and the means of moving forward toward desired states are not clearly defined, thus we might speculate that JCB is complex problem solving (CPS) activity, where the complex problems to solve are: how to increase job resources, how to decrease job demands and/or how to increase job challenges. Based on conceptualization of JCB as a form of CPS I put forward proposition that a level of cognitive functioning represented by Gf and WMC might be positively related to JCB as WMC and Gf seem to be important facilitators in CPS. In addition to general positive relationship between JCB and GF/WMC we might predict that WMC will be particularly strongly related to JCB in form of increase in social job resources whereas Gf will be particularly strongly related to JCB in form of increase in challenging job demands. This line of reasoning is supported by research findings suggesting that WMC is positively related to emotions regulation, understanding perspectives of other people, susceptibility to stereotyping and self-control (Gruszka, & Necka 2017). Thus WMC might be particularly strongly related to JCB in form of increasing job resources of social type e.g. solving a problem of how to increase support from supervisor, and fluid intelligence, as a capacity to solve novel and complex problems by inductive and deductive reasoning, might be particularly strongly related to JCB in form of increasing challenging job demands e.g. solving a problem of how to make job tasks more challenging. The above-mentioned propositions on relations between Gf and WMC with JCB are currently under empirical investigation and I would like also to present and discuss results of a pilot study if I manage to finish it till the conference.