Job crafting and job sculpting intervention for balancing work-life and improving mental health among construction supervisors

Abstract

Construction employees face work demands that strain their life and mental health. With the recent pandemic and increase in digitalization, different sectors are re-designing jobs to improve employee flexibility. However, the construction industry would require sector-appropriate techniques to meet project demands and improve employees’ health. This study explores bottom-up job re-design techniques (i.e., job crafting and job sculpting) to identify techniques adopted that could improve work-life balance and mental health among supervisors. Using a qualitative methodology, 16 supervisors working in Hong Kong, Australia, Nigeria, and Ghana responded to semi-structured interview questions, including changes to their duties and deeply embedded interests they would like sculpted into their roles. The interview data were subjected to inductive content analysis. The result revealed that supervisors presently craft their jobs with six themes emerging but want more opportunities as it increases their perception of job control. The themes include modifying work schedules of subordinates and training subordinates. The respondents indicated that deeply embedded life interests designed into their roles should include research and development, fitness coaching, and training. This study developed a job crafting and sculpting design checklist for supervisors in construction organizations and highlighted the need to include employees in the job design process.