Demands, control, and support: A meta-analytic review of work characteristics interrelationships.

Abstract

The job demands-control-support model (DCS; Karasek, 1979) is an influential theory for understanding how work characteristics relate to employee well-being, health, and performance. However, previous research has largely neglected theory-building regarding the interrelationships between job demands, control, and support. We remedy such theoretical underdevelopment by reviewing and integrating theory on the relationships between demands, control, and support to develop five hypotheses. We test our hypotheses within a meta-analytic framework using a set of 106 studies. Our results show negative demands-supervisor support and demands-coworker support relationships, but no significant demand-control relationship. Our findings also indicate positive control-supervisor support and control-coworker support relationships. Using the meta-analytic effect sizes, we also estimate two competing structural equation models intended to discern which theoretical model using DCS work characteristics to predict occupational strain and well-being is more consistent with our data. Our results suggest that job control and both sources of social support should be treated independently, as opposed to indicators of a shared latent factor, in terms of their prediction of well-being and job demands. Our study offers support for the usefulness of the DCS and more modern conceptualizations of the working environment in understanding the employee work experience and for predicting important work outcomes. (

Organizational uncertainty and stress among teachers in Hong Kong: work characteristics and organizational justice

“…None of the tested JDCS interaction effects were significant predicators within the given sample of teachers. Previous studies have observed consistent evidence of the main effects of the JDCS work characteristics (Noblet and LaMontagne 2006;Hausser et al, 2010;Luchman and Gonzales-Morales, 2013); however, evidence of their interactive nature of these variables is mixed and observably weak (van der Doef and Maes, 1999;De Lange et al, 2003).…”

Work Design Influences: A Synthesis of Multilevel Factors that Affect the Design of Jobs

“…Such work designs are associated with, for example: better physical well-being, including physical fitness (Fransson et al, 2012), lower hypertension (Babu et al, 2014), fewer headaches/ gastrointestinal problems (Nixon, Mazzola, Bauer, Krueger, & Spector, 2011) and lowered incidence of musculoskeletal disorders (Eijckelhof et al, 2013); higher mental health and psychological well-being (Luchman & González-Morales, 2013); more positive job attitudes, such as job satisfaction and organizational commitment (Humphrey et al, 2007); better job performance (Humphrey et al, 2007); and higher levels of innovation (Hammond, Neff, Farr, Schwall, & Zhao, 2011). Studies also show positive effects at higher levels in the organization, such as group work design enhancing team effectiveness (Campion, Papper, & Medsker, 1996;Xanthopoulou, Bakker, Demerouti, & Schaufeli, 2009) and team innovation (Hülsheger, Anderson, & Salgado, 2009).…”

Job design, work engagement and innovative work behavior: A multi-level study on Karasek’s learning hypothesis

“…The Job Demand-Control model developed by Karasek (1979) is a leading model for studying the effect of job characteristics on employee well-being, health and performance (Luchman & Gloria, 2013). Depending on the levels of job demands and control experienced by the employee, workers will have different outcomes in terms of job strain and active learning.…”