Work limitations as a moderator of the relationship between job crafting and work performance: results from an SEM analysis of cross-sectional survey data

PURPOSE: Job crafting is an incremental, employee-initiated job design process used to achieve a better fit between job demands and worker skills. Persons with work limitations face multiple barriers to optimal work performance. Some persons with work limitations may innately use job crafting as a strategy to achieve better alignment with their job tasks and demands, however the extent to which job crafting may be helpful in improving work performance and engagement is unknown. The purpose of this study is (1) to examine the moderating role of work limitations in the relationship between job crafting and work performance and (2) to understand the complex relationship between job crafting, work limitations, work engagement, work performance, readiness to change, and worker characteristics. METHODS: We conducted an online survey of workers with and without disabilities (final N = 742) in 2020–2021. Our sample included workers aged 18 and older. Descriptive statistics, bivariate statistics, and Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) were used to assess the relationships among job crafting, work limitations, work engagement, work performance, readiness to change, and worker characteristics. RESULTS: Work limitation moderates the relationship between job crafting and work performance by weakening the impact of innate job crafting on work performance. Worker characteristics such as education and years of work experience predict crafting behaviors and work engagement mediates the relationship between job crafting and work performance. CONCLUSIONS: Work limitation weakens the relationship between job crafting and work performance. Workers with limitations may benefit from job crafting interventions to increase work engagement and performance.