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The purpose of this paper is to examine relationships between regulatory focus, job crafting, work engagement and perceived employability. Regulatory focus theory distinguishes between promotion-focused individuals, who strive for growth and development, and prevention-focussed individuals, who strive for security. Job crafting refers to changes that individuals make in their work to meet their own preferences and needs. It was expected that job crafting would mediate associations between promotion focus and work-related outcomes.

Questionnaires were collected among 383 registered candidates from a consultancy organization for recruitment, assessment and coaching that operates within the branches pharmacy, medical devices, food, and healthcare. Results were analyzed using structural equation modeling.

Crafting structural and social resources were positively related to work engagement and employability, whereas negative relationships were found for crafting hindering demands. Promotion focus was associated with crafting resources and challenging demands, while prevention focus was associated with crafting hindering demands. Job crafting also mediated some of the relationships between promotion focus, prevention focus and work outcomes.

This study provided insight into possible antecedents and outcomes of job crafting. Unfortunately, this study used a cross-sectional design.

These insights may help managers to encourage beneficial job crafting behaviors, while taking individuals’ foci into account.

This study has provided insight in the relationships between regulatory focus, job crafting, work engagement, and perceived employability.

The present study aims to investigate the motivational correlates of two types of heavy work investment: workaholism and work engagement. Building on Higgins's regulatory focus theory, the paper examines which work goals workaholic and engaged employees pursue and which strategies they use to achieve these goals. Furthermore, the paper examines how workaholism and work engagement relate to three different work outcomes: job satisfaction, turnover intention, and job performance.

Data from a cross-sectional survey study among 680 Dutch employees in the banking industry were analysed using structural equation modeling.

The analyses revealed that workaholism was primarily and positively associated with having a prevention focus, whereas work engagement was primarily and positively associated with having a promotion focus. Furthermore, workaholism was negatively related to job satisfaction and job performance, and positively related to turnover intention, whereas work engagement was positively associated with job satisfaction and job performance, and negatively associated with turnover intention. Both forms of heavy work investment almost fully mediated the associations between the regulatory foci and the three work outcomes.

The conclusions rely on self-report data, a relatively homogeneous sample, and a cross-sectional design. This may have biased our findings to some degree and does not allow inferring causal conclusions.

The findings show that workaholic and engaged employees have different work goals and use different strategies to pursue these goals. Moreover, both forms of heavy work investment are oppositely related to work outcomes. Organizations may develop policies to reduce workaholism and to promote work engagement by influencing their employees' regulatory foci.

The present study demonstrates that two types of heavy work investment can be distinguished, each with a unique motivational make-up and a unique pattern of work outcomes.

The purpose of this study is to examine the moderating role of regulatory focus in the job demands‐resources model.

A questionnaire survey was conducted among 146 teachers in secondary education. It was expected that detrimental effects of job demands (i.e. workload, interpersonal conflict) on emotional exhaustion would be more pronounced among individuals with a strong prevention focus (oriented towards safety and security). Favorable effects of job resources (i.e. autonomy, social support) on motivational outcomes were expected to be more pronounced among individuals with a strong promotion focus (oriented towards growth and development).

The hypotheses regarding the moderating role of prevention focus were confirmed, but the moderating effect of promotion focus appeared to be exactly opposite to expectations. The effect of job resources on motivational outcomes was more pronounced for individuals with a weak promotion focus.

To the best of one's knowledge, this is the first study to examine the role of regulatory focus in the job demands‐resources model. The study shows that regulatory focus is important in explaining individual responses to job demands and resources and may therefore be a relevant factor in career development.

The purpose of this paper is to identify job characteristics that determine young employees' wellbeing, health, and performance, and to compare educational groups.

Using the job demands‐resources (JD‐R) model and 2‐wave longitudinal data (n=1,284), the paper compares employees with a lower educational level with employees with a high educational level.

Young employees with lower educational level reported fewer job resources (autonomy and social support), more physical demands, less dedication, more emotional exhaustion, and poorer health and performance compared with the highly educated group. Differences were also found between educational groups in the relationships in the JD‐R model, most notably a reciprocal association between dedication and performance, and between emotional exhaustion and performance in the group with lower levels of education.

The results support the main processes of the JD‐R model, supporting its generalizability. However, differences were found between educational groups, implying that the motivational and health impairment processes differ across educational levels.

HR consultants and career counselors may focus especially on increasing job resources and motivation for young employees with lower educational level. Performing well is also important for these young workers to become more dedicated and less exhausted.

It is important to recognize and intervene on unique characteristics of different educational groups with regard to wellbeing, health, and performance in order to maintain a healthy and productive young workforce.

For the first time, predictions of the JD‐R model are tested among young employees with different educational backgrounds.

The purpose of this paper is to gain more insight into the well‐being, health and performance of young intermediate educated employees. First, employees with low education (9 years or less), intermediate education (10‐14 years of education), and high education (15 years or more) are compared on a number of factors related to well‐being, health, and performance at work. Second, determinants of well‐being, health and performance are examined for the intermediate educated group, based on the Job Demands‐Resources model.

Data from The Netherlands Working Conditions Survey 2007 are used: the largest working conditions survey in The Netherlands. ANOVAs with post hoc Bonferroni corrections and linear regression analyses are used for the analyses.

Young intermediate educated employees differ from high educated employees with regard to job demands, job resources and health. They report less demands, but these demands still have an effect on well‐being and performance. They also report less resources, while these resources are important predictors of their health and performance: both directly and indirectly via job satisfaction and emotional exhaustion.

Cross‐sectional data are used and the theoretical model is tested using regression analyses. In a follow‐up study, longitudinal data and structural equation modelling will be used.

The study adds to the limited knowledge on young employees with intermediate education and gives insight into the processes that are important for their well‐being, health, and performance. The study shows that this group deserves the attention of both researchers and professionals.