In the early 2000s, Professor Jane Dutton of the University of Michigan and research scholar Amy Wrzesniewski conducted a study to understand the nature of work among hospital cleaning staff.
Through a series of personal interviews and baseline assessments, they divided 28 members of the cleaning staff into two groups. Their goal was to understand the workers’ skill levels, responsibilities, and perceptions of their jobs.
The researchers quickly discovered a major difference between the two groups.
The first group not only disliked their jobs but also felt a lack of fulfillment and purpose. They viewed their work as menial and showed up every day because they felt they had no other choice, whether for income or other reasons.
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The second group had the same roles and responsibilities, but their outlook was completely different. They enjoyed their work and believed their contributions were important to the hospital’s ability to operate effectively.
They viewed their jobs as meaningful and felt connected to the larger purpose of helping patients.
With identical roles, responsibilities, working hours, and pay, how did these two groups develop such different perspectives?
Dutton and Wrzesniewski explored the reason behind this difference and discovered a concept that would later become known as Job Crafting.
The researchers found that mindset and intentionality were the key factors influencing how employees viewed their work.
The more satisfied employees went beyond their basic job descriptions by taking on additional activities, such as interacting with patients and visitors.
They also built stronger relationships with nurses and created a more open environment for communication and information sharing.
These employees understood the bigger picture. They saw their role as an essential part of the healthcare system and the patient recovery process.
Instead of viewing themselves as cleaners performing routine tasks, they saw themselves as contributors to patient care.
This broader and more positive perspective helped them find greater meaning, purpose, and satisfaction in their work.
Dutton and Wrzesniewski’s research was published in 2001 and became the foundation of the Job Crafting concept.
The simplicity of their findings highlighted the importance of mindset, perspective, and intentional goal-setting in any role.
Today, following the workplace changes caused by the global pandemic, job crafting has become more relevant than ever.
What is Job Crafting?
“Job crafting is the practice of (re-) shaping the job that you are expected to do so that you can enlarge the parts that are important to you. Through job crafting, an employee can take on new activities, new responsibilities, and new relationships, making the job so bigger (or smaller), more interesting, more useful, and overall, more closely linked to their strengths and interests.”
— CV Harquail, previously a Darden Business School professor.
Job crafting can be seen in everyday situations. It includes actions that go beyond regular responsibilities, such as helping a colleague, supporting a team member, or contributing to a larger cause.
One example of job crafting is “The Pink Glove Dance,” which gained popularity online.
The video featured hospital employees—including doctors, nurses, lab technicians, and janitors—wearing pink gloves and dancing to raise awareness for breast cancer.
This simple act allowed employees to contribute to something larger than their daily responsibilities, giving them a greater sense of purpose and fulfillment.
Types of Job Crafting
Job crafting can take several forms. The three main types include task crafting, relationship crafting, and cognitive crafting.
Task Crafting
Task crafting involves changing or reorganizing your job responsibilities. It allows employees to modify their tasks by adding, removing, or adjusting activities to make their work more engaging and meaningful.
For example, Audrey, a full-stack developer at an instant messaging app company, had been a dedicated employee for five years. Over time, she started feeling uninspired and struggled to maintain a healthy work-life balance.
Her disengagement began affecting her deadlines, and she initially considered searching for a new job.
However, she decided to explore other options first.
To break the monotony of her daily routine, Audrey started spending time with the marketing team to better understand user interactions and customer needs.
This experience helped her gain a deeper understanding of the app’s users and see how her technical work contributed to the overall product experience.
By applying task crafting, Audrey found a renewed sense of purpose and became more engaged with her role.
Relationship Crafting
Relationship crafting focuses on changing how employees interact and collaborate with others inside and outside their teams.
It involves building new professional relationships and finding opportunities to connect with colleagues across different departments.
Nathan, a design intern at a creative company, experienced this firsthand.
As a new employee, he had a lot to learn in a fast-paced environment. After completing his assigned design tasks, he decided to spend time with different departments to understand their work processes.
This helped Nathan learn how various teams collaborated and allowed him to bring new perspectives into his design work.
By practicing relationship crafting, he built stronger connections with coworkers, improved his understanding of the company, and expanded his creative approach.
Cognitive Crafting
Cognitive crafting involves changing the way employees perceive and interpret their work.
Instead of changing tasks or relationships, employees adjust their mindset to better understand the value and purpose behind their responsibilities.
Samantha, an administrative assistant, started feeling stressed and demotivated in her role.
She began questioning whether she had chosen the right career path.
Her manager noticed the change and shared how valuable her contributions were to the company.
That recognition changed her perspective.
Samantha began focusing on how her work supported the smooth operation of the office and how her role impacted the organization.
By changing the way she viewed her responsibilities, she regained motivation and found greater fulfillment in her job.
This shift in mindset is an example of cognitive crafting.
Why Focus on Job Crafting Now?
The need for job crafting has become increasingly important following the global pandemic and its impact on the workplace.
The sudden transition to remote work drastically changed the way employees experience their jobs. While some have adapted to this new environment, many continue to struggle with motivation and engagement.
A survey by SellCell found that 80% of remote workers in the US don’t feel engaged at work. Similar research by Gallup shows that many employees experience disengagement, resulting in productivity losses that cost employers an estimated $500 million annually.
These findings highlight the growing need to address workplace disengagement.
The job market has also changed significantly, creating more opportunities for employees who are considering a career move.
However, job crafting remains relevant because changing jobs does not always eliminate workplace challenges. Employees may face similar issues in a new role or company environment.
Understanding how to reshape their current roles can help employees decide whether to stay with their current employer or move toward a position that better fits their needs.
While searching for a new opportunity may seem like the best solution, it comes with its own challenges.
Employees must navigate the job search process, adapt to a new company culture, build relationships with a new team, and take on unfamiliar responsibilities, especially in remote work environments.
A more effective way to address disengagement is to first understand the reasons behind it and explore possible solutions.
Instead of immediately leaving, employees can ask themselves: How can you transform the job you have into the job you love?
The answer is job crafting.
Conclusion
Since Dutton and Wrzesniewski’s research was published, there has been significant growth in studies exploring the impact of job crafting.
Stanford Professor Justin M. Berg studied how teachers who incorporated their personal sense of purpose into their work were, in essence, crafting their own jobs.
He later collaborated with Dutton and Wrzesniewski to create a workbook designed to help individuals apply job crafting principles in their careers.
Making job crafting a regular practice can create a meaningful difference in workplace satisfaction and engagement.
However, it is important to remember that job crafting requires intentional effort and continuous awareness.
It is a conscious decision to reshape habits, behaviors, and responsibilities in a way that creates a more positive and fulfilling work experience.
The process requires patience and persistence, but research has shown that the benefits can lead to greater success, happiness, and a more rewarding professional life.
About Peterson Technology Partners (PTP)
Peterson Technology Partners (PTP) has partnered with some of the biggest Fortune brands for more than 25 years, delivering excellence in IT staffing, consulting, and team building solutions.
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