The aim of the current study is to validate the adaptation of the job demands–resources theory to the study context. In addition, we introduce the concepts study crafting and self-undermining to the study demands–resources framework by examining the mediating role of engagement and exhaustion in the relationship between study characteristics and study crafting and self-undermining. Over four consecutive weeks, 205 higher education students answered a questionnaire about their weekly study demands and resources, their well-being (i.e., engagement, exhaustion), and their study crafting and self-undermining behaviors. Multilevel structural equation modeling (controlling for autoregressors of mediators and dependent variables from the previous week) demonstrated a positive relationship between study resources and study crafting mediated by engagement, as well as a positive relationship between study demands and self-undermining mediated by exhaustion. Our findings show that even short-term fluctuations in study characteristics affect students’ well-being and, in turn, their proactive and dysfunctional behaviors. Accordingly, universities should provide a resource-rich study environment and limit study demands as much as possible. Furthermore, our results demonstrate that students can also actively influence their study environment themselves.

Zusammenfassung: In dem Beitrag geht es um die Frage, welche Merkmale berufsbedingt mobiler Arbeit einen Zusammenhang mit Arbeitsfreude – als Indikator von intrinsischer Motivation – haben. In einer Studie wurden 407 mobil Beschäftigte schriftlich und 59 mittels Intensivinterviews befragt. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass sowohl allgemeine arbeitsbezogene Ressourcen (Handlungsspielraum, Vielseitigkeit der Arbeitsinhalte, Führungsqualität) als auch mobilitätsbezogene Ressourcen (technisch-organisatorische Unterstützung unterwegs) die Arbeitsfreude stärken. In der Diskussion werden Empfehlungen für die Unternehmenspraxis abgeleitet.

After the coronavirus pandemic, hybrid work has become firmly established in many companies. This study investigated the relation of hybrid work and relevant working conditions with the psychological detachment of employees. A written online survey was conducted among 250 employees of a company in the mechanical engineering industry in Germany who worked from home at least part of the time. Multiple hierarchical regression was used for the analysis. The results show that, as expected, the quality of manager-employee communication has a positive (β = 0.13, p < 0.05) and extended work availability a negative effect (β = −0.35, p < 0.001) on psychological detachment. Contrary to the assumptions, however, the proportion of work from home has a positive effect on detachment (β = 0.15, p < 0.05). Regarding the demographic variables, female employees are better able to detach from work (β = −0.36, p < 0.01). The quantitative demands initially show a significant effect, but this disappears as soon as the extended work availability and the proportion of work from home are included in the analysis. The included predictors explain 19% (p < 0.001) of the total variance. Practical Relevance Hybrid work offers the opportunity to organize work more flexibly and thus to adapt it more closely to the needs of employees. The results of this study show that work from home can foster psychological detachment from work, provided that health-promoting working conditions are in place.

This article from the journal Gruppe.Interaktion.Organisation focuses on the potential of hybrid work to provide a better fit between work environment and work tasks than working exclusively in one location. Our study analyzes the role of privacy fit and cooperation fit for the health of employees with hybrid work. We conducted a quantitative online self-report survey of 324 employees who worked both from home and in the office. Multiple hierarchical regression analyses were performed. Privacy fit is a predictor of burnout. Both privacy fit at the office and privacy fit at home have a significant negative relationship with burnout, even when demographic variables, quantitative demands, and workplace flexibility are included in the analysis. In contrast, cooperation fit is not a significant predictor of burnout. However, specifically, satisfaction with cooperation fit for work from home is negatively related to burnout. In-depth analyses provide indications of starting points for the further development of the operationalization of the fit constructs. Practical suggestions are offered to improve privacy fit and cooperation fit.