How discretionary HR practices influence employee job satisfaction: the mediating role of job crafting
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/ER-07-2022-0326 |
| Published date | 28 February 2023 |
| Date | 28 February 2023 |
| Pages | 776-793 |
| Subject Matter | HR & organizational behaviour,Industrial/labour relations,Employment law |
| Author | Emre Burak Ekmekcioglu,Hamidah Nabawanuka |
How discretionary HR practices
influence employee job
satisfaction: the mediating
role of job crafting
Emre Burak Ekmekcioglu
Department of Management, Business School, Ankara Yildirim Beyazit University,
Ankara, Turkey, and
Hamidah Nabawanuka
Graduate School of Social Sciences-Management and Organization,
Ankara Yildirim Beyazit University, Ankara, Turkey
Abstract
Purpose –This study aims to examine the relationship between discretionary human resource (HR) practices
and job satisfaction, as well as the mediating role of job crafting in the relationship between discretionary HR
practices and job satisfaction.
Design/methodology/approach –Data were collected from 302 employees working in an information and
communications technology (ICT) industry in Turkey. Structural equation modelling and bootstrapping
procedure were used to test the hypothesized relationships.
Findings –The findings suggest that discretionary HR practices are significantly and positively related to
employees’job satisfaction. The results also show that discretionary HR practices stimulates job satisfaction
through job crafting.
Research limitations/implications –Because this study was conducted using a cross-sectional research
methodology with data acquired from the same source, conclusions concerning the causality of the variables
cannot be inferred. The findings in this study have significant implications for human resource practitioners
and business owners who invest in their employees to enhance both employee and organizational performance.
The findings show that investment in HR practices prompt employees to be more proactive in devising
measures and ways of performing their jobs which increases their job satisfaction hence bringing about
desirable and favorable organizational outcomes.
Originality/value –This study adds to the growing body of research on the relationship between HRM and
job satisfaction by investigating at the predictive influence of discretionary HR practices as well as the
mediating role that job crafting plays.
Keywords Discretionary HR practices, Job crafting, Job satisfaction
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
Businesses that are successful in the modern day owe a significant amount of their
performance and growth to the passion and fervor of their employees towards the aims and
objectives of the organization. Competitive global economies, along with significant
advancements in information and communication technologies (ICT), have produced a new
work environment, altering how tasks are conducted and impacting employees’lives (Gope
et al., 2018). The incorporation of ICT in many organizations has modeled a new generation of
employees with evident divergent attitudes, behaviors, expectations and qualifications
(Lancaster and Stillman, 2002;Prensky, 2001). It is apparent that organizations need to alter
and align their strategies and activities to match the new workforce to help them be more
ER
45,3
776
The authors appreciate the referees’valuable and profound comments.
Funding: The authors received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication
of this article.
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
https://www.emerald.com/insight/0142-5455.htm
Received 18 July 2022
Revised 2 December 2022
6 February 2023
Accepted 7 February 2023
Employee Relations: The
International Journal
Vol. 45 No. 3, 2023
pp. 776-793
© Emerald Publishing Limited
0142-5455
DOI 10.1108/ER-07-2022-0326
satisfied with their jobs since employees are considered to be the most valuable asset for any
type of business (Meijerink et al., 2020;Pungnirun et al., 2020;Zheng and Lamond, 2009).
To gain leverage over competitors, superior firms have institute d and invested in
employee-oriented human resource (HR) practices to exce ed basic human resources
functions to ensure they obtain the utmost value from their HR investments to create an
efficient and productive workforce (Meijerink et al., 2020).
Discretionary HR practices are employee-focused practices that organizations choose to
invest in because they are strategically focused, optional, unrestricted and not externally
regulated (Gavino et al., 2012;Luu, 2021;Meijerink et al., 2020). These practices not only bring
about satisfactory human resources that are highly dedicated and motivated, loyal and
committed to attaining desirable business outcomes but also lead to individuals who are
satisfied with their jobs (Luu, 2020). Discretionary HR practices, like any other form of human
resource practices, are believed to be a means through which employee perceptions and
attitudes can be influenced (Alfes et al., 2013;Guest, 2017;Van De Voorde et al., 2012)to
improve employee job satisfaction.
Job satisfaction is defined as an agreeable or optimistic psychological state resulting from
the appraisal of an employee’s job or work experience (Jan et al., 2016;Locke, 1976). Employee
job satisfaction is crucial in work settings because it influences the productivity of
individuals (Kim and De Dear, 2013), which affects organizational performance and success
(Vermeeren et al., 2014). In addition, employees in ICT-enabled workplaces are under pressure
to stay up-to-date with the latest software versions and their applications since the global
work environment is subject to continual, fast change and technological innovation (Monks
et al., 2013). Thus, when organizations provide quality training and skill advancement
opportunities, they aid workers in acquiring the necessary information, skills and attitudes.
This not only empowers employees to take charge of their assignments and attain desired
work results effectively, but they also gain the ability to work autonomously and responsibly
and make informed decisions which result in individual growth and confidence, making one
satisfied with his/her job (Scholarios et al., 2008). Consequently, we argue that discretionary
HR procedures provided by organizations may impact job satisfaction in the workplace. Such
company efforts provide employees with relevant knowledge, skills and competencies,
enabling them to be productive, confident while working and content with their positions;
this, in turn, leads to individuals who are more satisfied with their jobs. In support of that, Luu
(2020) found a positive connection between discretionary HR practices and job satisfaction.
Further still, organizations can use discretionary HR practices to influence employees’job
satisfaction via job crafting, whereby employees can proactively take the initiative to model
and alter their jobs and work experiences and make them relevant (Wrzesniewski and
Dutton, 2001). Job crafting can also be defined as an employee-initiated way that empowers
workers to model their own work settings in such a manner that fits their personal needs by
altering the current job demands and resources (Tims and Bakker, 2010). Suitably,
discretionary HR practices equip employees with competencies and values to proactively
perform beyond what is expected of them to improve individual and organizational
performance (Gavino et al., 2012). This will not only contribute to employee development and
growth but also increase contentment with one’s job (Luu, 2017;Tims et al., 2013), making
people more satisfied with their job. In addition, HRM literature findings acknowledge HR
practices as a possible means through which employee proactive behaviors can be stimulated
in workplaces (Batistic et al., 2016;Chen et al., 2017;Jia et al., 2020;Khatri et al., 2017). As such,
sculpting tendencies have been deemed relevant in fostering satisfaction among jobholders,
especially in highly demanding sectors (Audenaert et al., 2020) like ICT.
With the development of modern ICT and its large pool of highly qualified technical
professionals, Turkey has experienced a significant economic upswing over the past decade
(Tas
¸tan and G€
onel, 2020). The Turkish ICT market has reached USD 29.9 Billion market size
The mediating
role of job
crafting
777
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