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. 2024 Dec 26;22(1):14.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph22010014.

Strategic Responses to Employee Well-Being Issues in VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, and Ambiguous) Conditions: Expanding the JD-R (Job Demands-Resources) Model with Job Crafting

Thomas Volderauer  1 , Margit Raich  2 , Antje Bierwisch  3 , Harald Stummer  1   4 , Oliver Som  3
Affiliations

Strategic Responses to Employee Well-Being Issues in VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, and Ambiguous) Conditions: Expanding the JD-R (Job Demands-Resources) Model with Job Crafting

Thomas Volderauer et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

Current work environments, driven by globalization, demographic changes, and digitalization, demand substantial adaptation, which leads to decreased employee well-being. While occupational psychology research has identified supportive mechanisms, it often lacks a deepened understanding of how interventions function. This study aims to analyze the impacts of VUCA contexts and leadership behavior on job crafting, focusing on white-collar workers. Our objective is to identify workplace configurations that safeguard employee health in dynamic settings. Utilizing the JD-R model augmented by job crafting as a theoretical framework, we conducted qualitative comparative case studies using the GABEK® methodology to analyze and systematize data. This approach captures complex organizational interrelationships through sentence analysis, transforming subjective meanings into a comprehensive network and providing deeper insights into organizational dynamics. Research findings reveal that evolving work demands, notably from digital transformations, impact knowledge management, communication, and employee well-being. IT discrepancies and communication deficits intensify work complexity, underscoring the need for enhanced management frameworks. Proactive and adaptive leadership, along with job crafting, is crucial for protecting health and enhancing performance in fast-paced digital environments. These strategies promote structured decision-making and efficient knowledge management, fostering a resource-oriented culture that enhances employee well-being and overall effectiveness.

Keywords: digital transformation; employee well-being; job demands resource model; knowledge management; leadership; occupational psychology; qualitative comparative case studies.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
JD-R model expanded to include job crafting in reference to Tims, M. et al. [41] (own illustration).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Data complexity illustration network (own illustration).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Structure tree of the analyzed organizations (own illustration).
Figure 4
Figure 4
Network graphic: “leadership” (own illustration).
Figure 5
Figure 5
Network graphic: “job crafting” (own illustration).
Figure 6
Figure 6
Network graphic: “self-undermining” (own illustration).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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