یک مدل فرسودگی برای ایجاد فرصت های شغلی: اثرات واسطه چندگانه در عملکرد شغلی A Burnout Model of Job Crafting: Multiple Mediator Effects on Job Performance

Introduction Burnout is an occupational hazard that continues to draw immense attention as it relates to significant costs for employees and organizations (e.g. Bakker, Demerouti & Verbeke, 2014; Schaufeli, Bakker & VanRhenen, 2009). It has become a major problem in most countries, not only in the lowest socioeconomic groups, but at all societal levels (Albertsen et al., 2010). Majority of the burnout studies exist in the context of psychosocial professions of physicians, nurses and teachers. However, burnout may pertain to any occupation where there is an imbalance between demands and possible renewal of resources (Bakker & Demerouti, 2014). Such aspects are evident in many careers within fast-paced firms, where work is varied, complex, deadline driven and competitive, with long workdays, and where it is difficult to separate work from home life (Hetland, Sandal & Johnsen, 2007). This study is based on data from knowledge workers belonging to the IT services, which typically carries all of these characteristics. Knowledge work, often characterized by a „boundaryless‟ work environment stresses the potential endless demands and performance pressures in these kinds of jobs that lead to stress and burnout (Benson & Brown, 2007; Lee, Blackman & Hurst, 2007). The way people cope with burnout is very important to determine its impact (Chen & Cunradi, 2008). Consequently, the relationship between burnout and coping has been the focus of major research over the past few decades (Angelo & Chambel, 2014; Van Rhenen, Schaufeli, Van Dijk, & Blonk, 2008). Traditionally, the burnout literature has considered coping as a reactive mechanism in diminishing distress (Schwarzer & Knoll, 2003). However, the conceptualization of coping has changed in the context of the positive psychology movement (Peiró, 2007) to include proactive coping that involves a confirmatory and positive approach to dealing with burnout (Greenglass, 2002). Hence, several researchers have proposed a change in emphasis, investigating whether coping strategies are associated with decreased distress, as well as higher levels of positive outcomes (Angelo & Chambel, 2014; Crant, 2000). Such emphasis is reflected in the concept of job crafting, which constitutes self-driven work related changes through a proactive balance of job demands and job resources (Tims & Bakker, 2010; Wrzesniewski & Dutton, 2001). The conservation of resources (COR) theory (Hobfoll, 1988, 2001, 2002) and the job demands-resources (JD-R) model (Demerouti, Bakker, Nachreiner & Schaufeli, 2001) also suggest that resources play a dual role in enhancing positive and reducing negative outcomes. Hence, given the individual level resourcefulness, job crafting can play an effective role as a proactive coping mechanism in decreasing negative or detrimental outcomes as well as increasing positive outcomes.