This research examines how proactive job design allows employees to increase their own work engagement through two primary methods: expansive job crafting and idiosyncratic deals (i-deals). The research highlights that these two strategies function through different psychological filters, as psychological safety is the essential driver for job crafting while organizational justice is the foundation for successful i-deal negotiations. To support these behaviors, the research suggests that companies move away from rigid, top-down roles and instead invest in manager training, transparent fairness protocols, and flexible job architectures. By fostering an environment of trust and equity, organizations can empower staff to co-create their roles, leading to better retention and higher performance. Ultimately, the synthesis provides a research-backed framework for HR leaders to move toward a model of shared responsibility in the modern workplace.

This research examines how proactive job design allows employees to increase their own work engagement through two primary methods: expansive job crafting and idiosyncratic deals (i-deals). The research highlights that these two strategies function through different psychological filters, as psychological safety is the essential driver for job crafting while organizational justice is the foundation for successful i-deal negotiations. To support these behaviors, the research suggests that companies move away from rigid, top-down roles and instead invest in manager training, transparent fairness protocols, and flexible job architectures. By fostering an environment of trust and equity, organizations can empower staff to co-create their roles, leading to better retention and higher performance. Ultimately, the synthesis provides a research-backed framework for HR leaders to move toward a model of shared responsibility in the modern workplace. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This research examines how proactive job design allows employees to increase their own work engagement through two primary methods: expansive job crafting and idiosyncratic deals (i-deals). The research highlights that these two strategies function through different psychological filters, as psychological safety is the essential driver for job crafting while organizational justice is the foundation for successful i-deal negotiations. To support these behaviors, the research suggests that companies move away from rigid, top-down roles and instead invest in manager training, transparent fairness protocols, and flexible job architectures. By fostering an environment of trust and equity, organizations can empower staff to co-create their roles, leading to better retention and higher performance. Ultimately, the synthesis provides a research-backed framework for HR leaders to move toward a model of shared responsibility in the modern workplace. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Abstract: Organizations increasingly rely on proactive employees who shape their own work rather than passively accept assigned roles. This article examines how two bottom-up job design strategies—expansive job crafting and idiosyncratic deals (i-deals)—enhance work engagement through distinct psychological mechanisms. Drawing on a three-wave study of 324 Spanish employees and broader organizational research, we explore how psychological safety mediates the crafting-engagement relationship, while organizational justice mediates the i-deals-engagement pathway. These findings challenge assumptions that all proactive work behaviors operate similarly and reveal that context-sensitive interventions must align with employees' redesign strategies. For practitioners, the evidence suggests that fostering psychological safety supports employees who expand job boundaries, while procedural and distributive justice systems enable successful i-deal negotiation. Organizations that understand these nuanced pathways can cultivate engagement more strategically, retain talent more effectively, and build cultures where employees actively co-create their roles. This synthesis integrates Spanish survey data with international evidence to offer research-grounded guidance for HR leaders, line managers, and organizational development professionals navigating the shift from top-down job design to shared responsibility models. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this HCI Webinar, I talk with Alida Miranda-Wolff about leaders' role in promoting and supporting inclusion and belonging. Alida Miranda-Wolff is a diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) practitioner committed to teaching love and cultivating belonging. She is an Amazon-bestselling author of two books with HarperCollins Leadership, Cultures of Belonging: Building Inclusive Organizations That Last (February 2022) and The First-Time Manager: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (May 2024). She is principal at SR4 Partners, a full-service DEIB and employee advocacy firm, which serves hundreds of clients across the world. She hosts Care Work with Alida Miranda-Wolff, a podcast about what it means to offer care for a living. In 2021, Alida received The University of Chicago’s Early Career Achievement Award. She is a graduate of The University of Chicago and holds certificates from the School of the Art Institute (graphic design) and Georgetown University (DEI). She lives in Chicago with her partner, toddler, rabbits, and cats. When she’s not working, reading, writing, or parenting, Alida is wild gardening, interior designing, and falling down research rabbit holes.

In this HCI Webinar, I talk with how leaders can build highly engaged teams in today's performance-focused environment. Dr. Roger A. Gerard is the owner of Sloan & Gerard Consulting, a private consulting practice serving executives and boards in strategic planning, operational planning, executive coaching, and management development. He also specializes in process improvement, and the use of lean methodologies in bringing about significant and measurable organizational improvement. He is the former Chief Learning Officer for ThedaCare, an integrated healthcare delivery system, retiring from that position in 2014 after 23 years in that role. Dr. Gerard has a 52-year career history leading executive and management development initiatives, in both large and small organizational environments. His work has been primarily within the healthcare industry, but he has also spent a quarter of his career consulting in manufacturing and service industries nationwide. In addition, he is a creative photographer, and provides help to his wife Debra in her fine art business (www.sloangerardstudio.com). Previously, Dr. Gerard served as Vice President of Northern Michigan Hospitals and as the Director of Organizational Development. Before joining NMH, he was Creative Manager for Quality Systems for Sandy Corporation where he consulted with major clients (Burroughs, IBM, General Motors, Hyatt, etc.) on systemic leadership development and quality improvement projects. Dr. Gerard is the author of Owning the Room: Leading with Mind, Heart and Spirit to Make Extraordinary Choices in a Demanding World and the forthcoming title, Lead With Purpose: Reignite Passion and Engagement For Professionals in Crisis. He also co-authored On the Mend: Revolutionizing Healthcare to Save Lives and Transform the Industry. Dr. Gerard has presented at numerous national conferences and locally throughout Wisconsin and Michigan on leadership and lean in the healthcare industry. He earned his Ph.D. in Management and Applied Decision Sciences from Walden University in 2001.

This research explores how workplace communication acts as a strategic engine for psychological safety and organizational resilience. The research identifies a dual-pathway model where empathy serves as the emotional foundation for trust, while discussion leadership provides the structural skills necessary for team adaptation. By examining case studies from global firms and clinical data, the research argues that these behaviors are learnable competencies rather than innate traits. Implementing these communication frameworks leads to measurable improvements in innovation, employee retention, and safety outcomes. Ultimately, the research advocates for treating high-quality dialogue as critical infrastructure essential for navigating modern, volatile markets.

This research explores how workplace communication acts as a strategic engine for psychological safety and organizational resilience. The research identifies a dual-pathway model where empathy serves as the emotional foundation for trust, while discussion leadership provides the structural skills necessary for team adaptation. By examining case studies from global firms and clinical data, the research argues that these behaviors are learnable competencies rather than innate traits. Implementing these communication frameworks leads to measurable improvements in innovation, employee retention, and safety outcomes. Ultimately, the research advocates for treating high-quality dialogue as critical infrastructure essential for navigating modern, volatile markets. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.