Skip to main content
Search
Search
    Quick Search anywhere
    Quick search in Citations
Advanced Search
Skip main navigationClose Drawer MenuOpen Drawer Menu
Previous article
Next article
Original Article

Challenge Demands, Hindrance Demands, and Psychological Need Satisfaction

Their Influence on Employee Engagement and Emotional Exhaustion

Published Online:August 03, 2015https://doi.org/10.1027/1866-5888/a000122

Abstract

The job demands-resources (JD-R) model provides a well-validated account of how job resources and job demands influence work engagement, burnout, and their constituent dimensions. The present study aimed to extend previous research by including challenge demands not widely examined in the context of the JD-R. Furthermore, and extending self-determination theory, the research also aimed to investigate the potential mediating effects that employees’ need satisfaction as regards their need for autonomy, need for belongingness, need for competence, and need for achievement, as components of a higher order needs construct, may have on the relationships between job demands and engagement. Structural equations modeling across two independent samples generally supported the proposed relationships. Further research opportunities, practical implications, and study limitations are discussed.

References

  • Alarcon, G. M. (2011). A meta-analysis of burnout with job demands, resources, and attitudes. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 79, 549–562. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Albrecht, S. L. (2013). Work engagement and the positive power of meaningful work. In A. B. BakkerEd., Advances in positive organizational psychology, (Vol. 1, pp. 237–260). Bingley, UK: Emerald. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Albrecht, S. L., & Su, M. J. (2012). Job resources and employee engagement in a Chinese context: The mediating roles of job meaningfulness, felt obligation and positive mood. International Journal of Business and Emerging Markets, 4, 277–292. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Bakker, A. B., Albrecht, S. L., & Leiter, M. P. (2011). Key questions regarding work engagement. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 20, 4–28. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Bakker, A. B., & Demerouti, E. (2007). The job demands-resources model: State of the art. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 22, 309–328. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Bakker, A. B., & Sanz-Vergel, A. I. (2013). Weekly work engagement and flourishing: The role of hindrance and challenge job demands. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 83, 397–409. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Baumeister, R. F., Bratslavsky, E., Finkenauer, C., & Vohs, K. D. (2001). Bad is stronger than good. Review of General Psychology, 5, 323–370. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Baumeister, R. F., & Leary, M. R. (1995). The need to belong: Desire for interpersonal attachments as a fundamental human motivation. Psychological Bulletin, 117, 497–529. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Bollen, K. A. (1989). Structural equations with latent variables. New York, NY: Wiley. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Camilleri, E., & Van Der Heijden, B. I. (2007). Organizational commitment, public service motivation, and performance within the public sector. Public Performance & Management Review, 31, 241–274. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Crawford, E. R., LePine, J. A., & Rich, B. L. (2010). Linking job demands and resources to employee engagement and burnout: A theoretical extension and meta-analytic test. Journal of Applied Psychology, 95, 834–848. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2000). The “what” and “why” of goal pursuits: Human needs and the self-determination of behavior. Psychological Inquiry, 11, 227–268. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • De Jonge, J., & Schaufeli, W. B. (1998). Job characteristics and employee well-being: A test of Warr’s Vitamin Model in health care workers using structural equation modelling. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 19, 387–407. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Demerouti, E., Bakker, A. B., Vardakou, I., & Kantas, A. (2003). The convergent validity of two burnout instruments: A multitrait-multimethod analysis. European Journal of Psychological Assessment, 19, 12–23. doi: 10.1027/1015-5759.19.1.12 First citation in articleLink, Google Scholar

  • Demerouti, E., & Cropanzano, R. (2010). From thought to action: Employee work engagement and job performance. In A. B. BakkerM. P. LeiterEds., Work engagement: A handbook of essential theory and research (pp. 147–163). Hove, UK: Psychology Press. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Dormann, C., & Zapf, D. (2004). Customer-related social stressors and burnout. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 9, 61–82. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Eisenberger, R., Jones, J. R., Stinglhamber, F., Shanock, L., & Randall, A. T. (2005). Flow experiences at work: For high need achievers alone? Journal of Organizational Behavior, 26, 755–775. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Fernet, C., Austin, S., Trépanier, S.-G., & Dussault, M. (2013). How do job characteristics contribute to burnout? Exploring the distinct mediating roles of perceived autonomy, competence, and relatedness. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 22, 123–137. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Hackman, J. (1980). Work redesign and motivation. Professional Psychology, 11, 445–455. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Hakanen, J. J., Bakker, A. B., & Schaufeli, W. B. (2006). Burnout and work engagement among teachers. Journal of School Psychology, 43, 495–513. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • House, R. J., Schuler, R. S., & Levanoni, E. (1983). Role conflict and ambiguity scales: Reality or artifacts? Journal of Applied Psychology, 68, 334–337. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Jöreskog, K. G., & Sörbom, D. (1993). Lisrel 8: Structural equations modeling with SIMPLIS command language. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Kahn, W. A. (1990). Psychological conditions of personal engagement and disengagement at work. Academy of Management Journal, 33, 692–724. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Karasek, R. A. (1979). Job demands, job decision latitude, and mental strain: Implications for job redesign. Administrative Science Quarterly, 24, 285–308. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Kline, R. B. (2011). Principles and practice of structural equation modeling. New York, NY: Guildford. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Luthans, F., Avolio, B. J., Avey, J., & Norman, S. (2007). Positive psychological capital: Measurement and relationship with performance and satisfaction. Personnel Psychology, 60, 541–572. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Marsh, H. W. (1987). The hierarchical structure of self-concept and the application of hierarchical confirmatory factor analysis. Journal of Educational Measurement, 24, 17–39. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Maslach, C., & Jackson, S. E. (1981). The measurement of experienced burnout. Journal of Occupational Behaviour, 2, 99–113. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Maslach, C., Schaufeli, W. B., & Leiter, M. P. (2001). Job burnout. Annual Review of Psychology, 52, 397–422. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Morgeson, F. P., & Humphrey, S. E. (2006). The work design questionnaire (WDQ): Developing and validating a comprehensive measure for assessing job design and the nature of work. Journal of Applied Psychology, 91, 1321–1339. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Niks, I. M. W., de Jonge, J., Gevers, J. M. P., & Houtmann, I. L. D. (2013). Design of the DISCovery project: Tailored work-oriented interventions to improve employee health, well-being, and performance-related outcomes in hospital care. BMC Health Services Research, 13, 66–77. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Nunnally, J. C. (1978). Psychometric theory (2nd ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Peterson, M. F., Smith, P. B., Akande, A., Ayestaran, S., Bochner, S., Callan, V., … Viedge, C. (1995). Role conflict, ambiguity, and overload: A 21-nation study. Academy of Management Journal, 38, 429–452. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Podsakoff, N. P., LePine, J. A., & LePine, M. A. (2007). Differential challenge stressor-hindrance stressor relationships with job attitudes, turnover intentions, turnover, and withdrawal behavior: A meta-analysis. Journal of Applied Psychology, 92, 438–454. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Schaufeli, W. B., Bakker, A. B., & Salanova, M. (2006). The measurement of work engagement with a short questionnaire. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 66, 701–716. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Schaufeli, W. B., Salanova, M., Gonzalez-Roma, V., & Bakker, A. B. (2002). The measurement of engagement and burnout: A two sample confirmatory factor analytic approach. Journal of Happiness Studies, 3, 71–92. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Schmitt, A., Zacher, H., & Frese, M. (2012). The buffering effect of selection, optimization, and compensation strategy use on the relationship between problem solving demands and occupational well-being: A daily diary study. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 17, 139–149. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Schriesheim, J. F., & Schriesheim, C. A. (1980). A test of the path-goal theory of leadership and some suggested directions for future research. Personnel Psychology, 33, 349–370. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Shalley, C. E., Gilson, L. L., & Blum, T. C. (2000). Matching creativity requirements and the work environment: Effects on satisfaction and intentions to leave. Academy of Management Journal, 43, 215–223. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Tims, M., Bakker, A. B., & Derks, D. (2013). The impact of job crafting on job demands, job resources, and well-being. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 8, 230–240. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Van den Broeck, A., De Cuyper, N., De Witte, H., & Vansteenkiste, M. (2010). Not all job demands are equal: Differentiating job hindrances and job challenges in the job demands-resources model. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 19, 735–759. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Van den Broeck, A., Vansteenkiste, M., De Witte, H., & Lens, W. (2008). Explaining the relationships between job characteristics, burnout, and engagement: The role of basic psychological need satisfaction. Work & Stress, 22, 277–294. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Van den Broeck, A., Vansteenkiste, M., De Witte, H., Soenens, B., & Lens, W. (2010). Capturing autonomy, competence, and relatedness at work: Construction and initial validation of the Work-Related Basic Need Satisfaction Scale. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 83, 981–1002. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • White, R. W. (1959). Motivation reconsidered: The concept of competence. Psychological Review, 66, 297–333. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Wrzesniewski, A., & Dutton, J. E. (2001). Crafting a job: Revisioning employees as active crafters of their work. Academy of Management Review, 26, 179–201. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Xanthopoulou, D., Bakker, A. B., Demerouti, E., & Schaufeli, W. B. (2009). Reciprocal relationships between job resources, personal resources, and work engagement. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 74, 235–244. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Zapf, D., Seifert, C., Schmutte, B., Mertini, H., & Holz, M. (2001). Emotion work and job stressors and their effects on burnout. Psychology & Health, 16, 527–545. First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar