In our last blog, we presented an introduction to job crafting and focused on the Why of job crafting - why personalising your work matters and the benefits it has been found to bring to employees and the wider organisation. This blog explores the What of job crafting - what the different types of job crafting are - to build a clearer understanding of the forms job crafting can take in the workplace. There are five core types of job crafting.
Task crafting
Task crafting involves making tangible changes to the tasks and activities that make up a job. If you imagine your job to be a set of building blocks, each block being a different task that when stacked together, build a “whole job”, task crafting is effectively altering the shape, size, colour and structure of these blocks. Task crafting is a key type of job crafting and is often used in conjunction with other forms of job crafting. The four primary methods of task crafting are:
Adding tasks - Adding those activities which you find stimulating or meaningful into your role structure. For example, someone who works in communications might be interested in setting up an internal newsletter that the organisation has never previously had, and in doing so, becomes increasingly engaged with their role, as well providing a channel to further connect with colleagues across the organisation.
Emphasizing activities - Doing more of the tasks you find enjoyable which are already written into your job structure. Engaging more in the activities you find fulfilling can give you more energy and focus. An example of this could be an IT technician with an interest in customer service volunteering to become the first point of contact for any queries about using a particular software programme.
Redesigning tasks - Adapting existing tasks that are part of your role to make them more interesting and meaningful. This is a useful task crafting technique if time constraints make adding or emphasizing tasks difficult. For example, rather than relying on email threads for team communication, a team leader could experiment with different online messaging platforms, such as Slack or Microsoft Teams. As we are rapidly learning during this unprecedented time of lockdown induced by Covid-19, being able to adapt is of paramount importance, and a large element of this adaptation has involved redesigning certain tasks.
Removing or reducing tasks - Removing, reducing or simplifying tasks to make them less intense and taxing where possible. A business owner could pay an accountant to manage their finances for example, or a manager could delegate bid writing to colleagues; although care should be taken when delegating to ensure work is not simply being “dumped” on others.
Other means of task crafting include reallocating time spent on different tasks or restructuring the order in which tasks are carried out.
Skill crafting
Skill crafting is a form of job crafting that enables people to shape their personal and professional development through growing and learning new skills or refining and consolidating existing knowledge. Skill crafting can take the form of structured activities, such as taking part in an external training course, work-based learning, such as volunteering for specific projects, or self-directed learning, such as researching an area of interest to learn more about it. Other activities such as networking, or mentoring others, are examples of skill crafting that can help boost professional development. There are three main ways people skill craft:
Growing new skills and knowledge - Seeking out or creating opportunities to develop and grow new skills or knowledge related to work. For example, an employee working in marketing could experiment and learn how to use a new software to create animated videos, updating their own skillset, as well as adding wider value to the organisation.
Consolidating and protecting skills and knowledge - Updating, consolidating or deepening existing knowledge and expertise so as to ensure skills remain relevant, of benefit to assisting you in your role and are not lost. For example, someone who works closely with children could attend further training sessions on safeguarding to consolidate and update their knowledge on the best safeguarding practice.
Redesigning existing tasks to develop skills and knowledge - Redesigning the way existing tasks are carried out to develop skills further. An example of this could be a team leader creating a new document or system to track their team's progress.
Relationship crafting
Altering and shaping the way we interact with others in the workplace and the relationships we have with our colleagues is known as relationship crafting. Relationship crafting could take the form of seeking out or creating opportunities to meet new people in the office, strengthening existing relationships, and facilitating greater interaction and collaboration with others. On the flip side of this however, intentionally spending less time with individuals or minimising those aspects of a role which involve connecting with others are also examples of relationship crafting, and can be equally as important in terms of the benefits it may have for an employee’s overall wellbeing in the workplace. High-quality connections with colleagues have been found to have a multitude of powerful positive benefits, including boosting employee morale [1], increasing productivity [2] and acting as an essential buffer against stress [1]. We can relationship craft in the three following ways:
Building and amplifying relationships - Forming new relationships and enhancing existing relationships with those who boost your confidence, feelings of worth and sense of fun, increasing satisfaction levels and meaningful encounters. Examples of this could include initiating socialising outside of work or in your lunch break, or asking someone to mentor you.
Reframing relationships - Reappraising or changing how you view those relationships which may appear problematic or difficult, to foster stronger and more positive connections. One way of doing this is to explore possible explanations for someone’s frustrating behaviour rather than perhaps take this personally. In the example of another employee appearing to disregard or challenge your ideas for improving a service, it may be that they are particularly risk averse or trying to protect the organisation, rather than intending to be disparaging or critical of you.
Adapting relationships - Finding ways to adapt and broaden existing relationships in the workplace by connecting in new ways and creating purpose and meaning in those established relationships. For example, extending a relationship beyond work by showing an interest in a colleague’s hobbies and passions, or by starting or joining a group such as a book club.
Purpose crafting
Purpose crafting involves reframing how we think about our work. This includes reflecting on the value, meaning and significance of your role for yourself personally, for the organisation, and for others, such as our customers or wider society. Additionally, considering and focusing on the best or most meaningful aspects of your work is a form of purpose crafting. People generally purpose craft in three key ways:
Promoting purpose - Broadening your perceptions of the impact and significance your job has on others, promoting a sense of purpose and meaning to how you view your work. Considering your work as a whole rather than the many activities and tasks it’s comprised of is a good starting point. One study found that rather than zookeepers perceiving their work as arduous and labour-heavy, with much of their role involving feeding animals and cleaning enclosures, they instead saw their job in a broader way, as a moral duty to protect and care for animals [3].
Narrowing purpose - Focusing on specific components and elements of work which you find to be enjoyable and meaningful. This could be specific individual tasks, skills or relationships, and identifying purpose within these specific aspects. For example, someone working in customer service may really enjoy interacting with customers, yet do not enjoy writing up notes from each customer contact afterwards. Reflecting and focusing on the customers they helped the most is a way of purpose crafting for that individual.
Connecting with purpose - Bringing your passions and interests which you may typically only involve yourself in outside of work, into the workplace. For example, someone with a love for running could start a running group at work, which is beneficial for others physically, mentally and helps strengthen relationships with others.
Wellbeing crafting
Wellbeing crafting involves finding and creating opportunities to boost physical and mental health through how we carry out our work. Making changes to aspects of our job or our routines which have a damaging impact on our wellbeing is also a method of wellbeing crafting. People tend to wellbeing craft in three ways:
Promoting wellbeing - Discovering and introducing new ways to recharge, be more active and engage more at work. For example, practising mindfulness during the working day, or getting some exercise during your lunch break are some of the actions you can take to promote wellbeing.
Limiting stress and strain - Minimising or preventing aspects of work that cause negative stress or strain. This could be achieved by stopping checking emails once you’ve left the office, or by seeking support to handle a negative relationship.
Redesigning tasks to bring wellbeing - Redesigning current ways of working to increase health and wellbeing. Perhaps this is organising 1-to-1 walking meetings, or introducing a standing desk into your office.
The final blog in our job crafting series will discuss the How of job crafting- how we can bring job crafting to life in the workplace and encourage it within individuals, teams, and the wider organisation as a whole.
Rob’s book, Personalization at Work, offers a deeper insight into job crafting and how to bring this to life in the workplace.
References
1 Achor, S., (2011). The happiness advantage: The seven principles of positive psychology that fuel success and performance at work. Random House.
2 Bandiera, O., Barankay, I. and Rasul, I., (2009). Social connections and incentives in the workplace: Evidence from personnel data. Econometrica, 77(4), pp.1047-1094.
3 Bunderson, J S and Thompson, J.A., (2009) The call of the wild: zookeepers, callings, and the double-edged sword of deeply meaningful work, Administrative Science Quarterly, 54, 32–57
4 AK Congress., (2019) Book of abstracts: 9th European Conference on Positive Psychology, available at: https://static.akcongress.com/downloads/ecpp/ ecpp2018_book_of_abstract.pdf (archived at https://perma.cc/2GAX-DZ9M)
