Extending the Job Demands -Resources Model: The relationship between job demands and work engagement, and the moderating role of job resources

Abstract

This study extends the Job Demands-Resources Model by showing the moderating effect of job resources between certain hindrance and challenge job demands on work engagement. It was expected that hindrance demands would have a negative, and challenge demands would have a positive effect on engagement and that job resources would make this relationship weaker and stronger, respectively. 218 participants (86% male) of a Spanish manufacturing company filled in the questionnaire. Simple and hierarchical regression analyses supported partially the hypothesis for the main effects: two out of three hindrance demands (role hindrance and emotional dissonance) influenced all engagement scales negatively; mental overload as a challenge demand influenced two out of three engagement scales (vigor and dedication) positively. For the moderating effect counts that out of 54 hierarchical regression analyses, three interaction effects were found. This result supports only partially the moderating hypothesis for job resources. Implications for the JD-R Model and possible explanations for the low amount of interactions are discussed.