Christopher Donough, Rukhsana Jano, Marieta Du Plessis
Abstract
During the Covid-19 pandemic, academic employees were faced with a rapid transition to remote online teaching with resultant effect on their levels of work engagement. Examining the role of job crafting on the relationship between psychological capital and work engagement in the academic setting can provide important information to encourage job crafting behaviours within the university as a means to maintain engagement.
An online survey measuring psychological capital, job crafting and work engagement was used to gather data from n = 156 academics across various institutions in South Africa. The data was analysed using correlational analysis as well as Process macro to identify the indirect effect of job crafting. Results indicate a positive relationship between PsyCap and work engagement. Only two job crafting dimensions namely, increasing challenging job demands and increasing structural resources, successfully mediated the relationship between PsyCap and work engagement of academics. The results suggest that even with shifting work duties and changes in work environments, individuals with high levels of PsyCap tend to have higher levels of engagement. Adding challenges and tapping into structural resources through job crafting can further mediate improved engagement of academics.