Approbation of a short-term online training program for proactive work/study design (job crafting)

Abstract

Job crafting, or proactive work design, is a modern practice of managing the employee’s or student’s well-being. Earlier research established that proactive restructuring of work tasks, relationships and meanings is associated with burnout prevention along with increased employee engagement, creativity and productivity. Similar trends can be traced in education: proactive fulfilment by students of their needs for autonomy, belonging and competence improves their academic performance and well-being. Job crafting training programs are now emerging, but studies show that short-term effects of such programs are weak and long-term effects are non-existent. In our study, we analyzed proactive work design training programs (their content structure and methodological basis) and the data on the main barriers to mastering job crafting skills. We developed a new online job crafting training program, which includes mandatory elements of existing programs and takes into account their limitations. We also identified the main individual barriers to mastering job crafting: weak personal proactivity and a decrease in motivation over time to implement job crafting in one’s work or study. Our program consisted of three weekly group zoom sessions lasting 80 minutes each. In addition, it included homework that involved pair work between group sessions according to a certain algorithm. The homework was aimed at a more thorough discussion of individual changes; it also was intended to ensure mutual assistance and emotional support. The program was supplemented by a large section on the development of proactivity in the context of work or study, and a section aimed at developing the idea of one’s work as something that can be redesigned taking into account personal goals and values. The program was tested in several groups of employees and students. The article discusses specific difficulties in the implementation of such programs and puts forward recommen-