The JD-R Model - Mind Tools

The JD-R Model states that when job demands are high and job positives are low, stress and burnout are common. Conversely, good job positives can offset the ... MENU JoinMindTools Login SkillAreas Back SkillAreas LeadershipSkills TeamManagement StrategyTools ProblemSolving DecisionMaking ProjectManagement TimeManagement StressManagement CommunicationSkills CreativityTools LearningSkills CareerSkills LearningFormats Back LearningFormats Bite-SizedTraining BookInsights(Audio) CareerCafe ExpertInterviews(Audio) Forums Infographics Learningstreams MindToolsApp MyLearningPlan Quizzes TemplatesandWorksheets Videos ForBusiness Newsletter Blog AboutUs HomeStressManagementManagingPerformanceStressTheJD-RModel BytheMindToolsContentTeam BytheMindToolsContentTeam (15) 15ratings 9MINREADTheJD-RModelAnalyzingandImprovingEmployeeWell-Being ©GettyImagesFGTradeGiveyourteamwhattheyneedtokeepthemhappy,healthyandthrivingatwork. Indiraworksinahigh-pressurerole.However,she'srarelystressedorupsetbythis–infact,shethrives,despitethedemandsofherjob. Onereasonforthisisthatherbossandherorganizationaresosupportive.Theyprovideacomfortableworkingenvironment,frequentmentoringanddevelopmentopportunities,andregularconstructivefeedback. Indiraisalsofriendswithmanyofhercolleagues,andshesetsasidetimeeachweektomeetthemforcoffee. Indira'ssituationillustratestheideabehindtheJobDemands-Resources(JD-R)Model.Thismodelstatesthatevenifyouworkinademandingrole,youcanexperiencelessstressifyourorganizationprovidesresourcestosupportyou. Note: Theword"resources"isconfusinghere,asithasadifferentmeaning(we'lldefinethisbelow)fromitseverydayone.Fortherestofthisarticle,we'llusetheterm"jobpositives"alongsideit. Inthisarticle,we'lllookattheJD-RModel,anddiscusshowyoucanuseittoanalyzeandimproveyourteam'swell-beingandengagement. AbouttheModel ResearchersArnoldBakkerandEvangeliaDemeroutidevelopedtheJD-RModelin2006.[1]Theypresenteditasanalternativetoexistingmodelsofemployeewell-being.Intheiropinion,theseonlyaddressedalimitednumberofvariables,anddidnotapplytoallpeopleorsectors. Toaddresstheseperceivedlimitations,BakkerandDemerouti'smodelincludedawiderangeofdemandsandresources/jobpositivesthatcouldfitanyoccupationandindustry. Themodelputsworkingconditionsintotwocategories:jobdemandsandjobresources. Jobdemandsarethephysicaloremotionalstressorsinyourrole.Theseincludetimepressures,aheavyworkload,astressfulworkingenvironment,roleambiguity,emotionallabor   ,andpoorrelationships. Jobresources(jobpositives)arethephysical,socialororganizationalfactorsthathelpyoutoachievegoalsandreducestress.Theyincludeautonomy,strongworkrelationships,opportunitiesforadvancement,coachingandmentoring,andlearninganddevelopment. TheJD-RModelstatesthatwhenjobdemandsarehighandjobpositivesarelow,stress   andburnout   arecommon.Conversely,goodjobpositivescanoffsettheeffectsofextremejobdemands,andencouragemotivationandengagement. UsesoftheModel TheJD-RModel,showninfigure1,below,canhelpyoutounderstandandrespondtoyourteam'sneeds. Figure1–TheJD-RModel DiagramreproducedfromBakkerandDemerouti(2007),©EmeraldPublishingGroup. Forexample,ifjobdemandsarehighandresourcesarelow,yourteammembersaremorelikelytoexperiencegreaterlevelsofstress.You'relikelytoseehighabsenteeismandhighemployeeturnoverasaresult. Inthissituation,youshouldworktoincreasejobpositives.Bydoingthis,you'llreducestressandincreasepeople'smotivation. ApplyingtheModel ToapplytheprinciplesoftheJobDemands-ResourcesModel,followthestepsbelow. Step1:IdentifyJobDemands Startbynotingthestressorsthatcouldhaveanegativeeffectonyourteam.Thesemightincludethefollowing: Shortdeadlines. Highvolumesofwork. Complexorboringprojects. Anuncomfortableworkenvironment. Fewopportunitiestoworkautonomously. Poorworkingrelationships. Emotionallydrainingtasksorroles. Uncleargoalsorroleambiguity. Limitedopportunitiesforcareeradvancementorpersonaldevelopment. Excessivelybureaucraticrulesandprocedures. Note: Keepinmindthateverypersononyourteamhasuniqueneeds,anddifferentstressthresholds.Somethingthatcausesextremestressforonepersonmightjustbeaninconvenience–orevenaworkenabler   –forsomeoneelse. Thisiswhyit'simportanttotalktoeachpersononyourteamindividually.Findoutwhichstressorsarecausingyourteammembersthemosttrouble.Youcanthentailoryourapproachtofiteachperson'sneeds. Step2:AddressJobDemands Chancesare,younowhavealonglistoffactorsthatcouldbenegativelyaffectingyourteam. Itwillbewithinyourpowertochangemanyofthese.So,separatetheonesthatyoucaninfluencefromtheonesthatyoucan't,anddowhatyoucantoreducejobdemands. FindingThisArticleUseful? Youcanlearnanother77stressmanagementskills,likethis,byjoiningtheMindToolsClub. JointheMindToolsClub Today! SubscribetoOurNewsletter Receivenewcareerskillseveryweek,plusgetourlatestoffersandafreedownloadablePersonalDevelopmentPlanworkbook. ReadourPrivacyPolicy Aspartofthis,makesurethatyouhavethe rightpeopleassignedtotherighttasks   .Ifpeoplearen'tplayingtotheirstrengths,they'relikelytoexperiencehigherstresslevels.So,cananytasksbereassigned,orrolesredesigned,tospreaddemandsmoreevenlyacrosstheteam? Likewise,examineyourteam'sworkflows.Arethereprocessesthatcouldbeimprovedtoremove bottlenecks   orstresspoints? Makesurethatyourteamhasapleasantworkingenvironment   .Whenaworkspaceiscomfortable,yourpeoplewillfeelgoodaboutbeingthere. Supportyourteammembers   byhelpingthemtofeelengagedwiththeworkthatthey'redoing,andmakesurethattheyhavetheresourcestheyneedtodotheirjobeffectively.Bereadytolisten   totheirconcerns,andrespondwithempathy   . Also,makesurethatyourteammembersunderstandthetruepurpose   oftheirwork,andthateverypersononyourteamknowshowtheirworkmakesadifference.Thiswillbothimprovemotivationandstrengthenyourteamrelationships. Finally,ifyourteammembersareengagedinemotionallabor   ,besensitivetohowdrainingthiscanbe.Sharesuccessstories,andteachyourpeoplehowtocopewiththestress   thatcancomewiththeseroles. Warning: Stresscancauseseverehealthproblemsand,inextremecases,death.Whilethesestress-managementtechniqueshavebeenshowntohaveapositiveeffectonreducingstress,theyareforguidanceonly,andreadersshouldtaketheadviceofsuitablyqualifiedhealthprofessionalsiftheyhaveanyconcernsoverstress-relatedillnesses,orifstressiscausingsignificantorpersistentunhappiness.Healthprofessionalsshouldalsobeconsultedbeforeanymajorchangeindietorlevelsofexercise. Step3:IdentifyPossibleJobResources/Positives Yournextstepistoidentifyandpromotethejobpositivesthatactasabufferbetweenyourteammembersandthedemandsoftheirroles.Thesecanincludethefollowing: Mentoringorcoachingopportunities. Traininganddevelopment. Regularconstructivefeedback. Increasedautonomy. Clearergoals. Organizationalrules,benefits,orprocessesthatsupportandstrengthenemployees. Youcanprovidemanyofthesethingsinexpensively,orforfree. Talktoyourteammembersone-on-onetofindoutwhatchangesthey'dliketosee. Step4:PromoteJobResources/Positives Lookforopportunitiestoencouragelearninganddevelopment.Butdon'toverlook"softer" positives,suchasgoodworkingrelationships   ,asthesearehugelyimportantforreducingjobstress.Forexample,evenifeveryone'sbusy,trytosetasidetimeforsocializingbeforemeetingsandafterwork. Provideregularconstructivefeedback   toyourpeople.Thiswillhelpthemtofeelsupportedastheygrowanddevelop. Inaddition,offerawidevarietyoftraininganddevelopmentopportunities.Cross-training   isgreatfordevelopingpeopleinaninterestingandaffordableway.Somepeoplemightalsobeinterestedinmentoring   oneanother,orinbeingmentoredbymoreseniorpeople. Peoplecanalsoexperiencestresswhenthey'reconfusedaboutwhatthey'remeanttodo.So,makesurethatjobdescriptions   areuptodate,andcreateateamcharter   todefineeveryone'srolesandresponsibilities.Thisisespeciallyimportantifyourteamisworkingonagroupproject. Infographic ClickontheimagebelowtoseetheJD-RModelrepresentedinaninfographic. KeyPoints ResearchersArnoldBakkerandEvangeliaDemeroutidevelopedtheJobDemands-Resources(JD-R)Modelin2006.Themodelstatesthatwhenjobdemandsarehighandjobresources/positivesarelow,stressandburnoutincrease.Conversely,ahighnumberofjobpositivescanoffsettheeffectsofhighjobdemands. TakethefollowingstepstoapplytheJD-RModel: 1.Identifyjobdemands. 2.Addressjobdemands. 3.Identifypossiblejobresources/positives. 4.Addressjobpositives. Whenyoulessenjobdemandsandpromotejobpositives,yourteamwillexperiencelessstress,andthey'llhaveagreatersenseofengagementandmotivation. So,ifyourpeoplearestressed,useourlistofactionstocreateahappy,supportiveworkingenvironment. Thissiteteachesyoutheskillsyouneedforahappyandsuccessfulcareer;andthisisjustoneofmany toolsandresourcesthatyou'llfindhereatMindTools.Subscribetoour freenewsletter,or jointheMindToolsClubandreallysuperchargeyourcareer! AddthisarticletoMyLearningPlan MarkarticleasComplete ShowRatings HideRatings Ratings Ratethisresource Freeloginneeded. Login / CreateLogin. EndsSoon-Get50%OffMindToolsMembership! SetyourselfupforsuccessthisSeptemberwith50%offMindToolsmembership! JoinMindTools JointheMindToolsClub SignupforourFREEnewsletter Comments(8) Overamonthago BillTwrote Hinatasha.binsted,andWelcometotheClub! We'rereallygladtohearthatyouenjoyedtheresource,andthatyoufoundapracticalapplication. BesuretojoinusintheForums,wherewelookforwardtoyourcontributionsaswell. BillT MindToolsTeam Overamonthago natasha.binstedwrote Ilovethisastoolkitfororganisationdesign-howtodesignforwell-being. Overamonthago Yolandewrote HiShelley, We'rehappytohearthatyou'reenjoyingourarticles.Pleasecarryonusingourresourcestodevelopyourowncareerandtohelpothers. Yolande MindToolsTeam ViewAllComments PreviousArticle Previous NextArticle Next SubscribetoOurNewsletter Receivenewcareerskillseveryweek,plusgetourlatestoffersandafreedownloadablePersonalDevelopmentPlanworkbook. ReadourPrivacyPolicy SubscribetoOurNewsletter Receivenewcareerskillseveryweek,plusgetourlatestoffersandafreedownloadablePersonalDevelopmentPlanworkbook. ReadourPrivacyPolicy EndsSoon-50%OffMindToolsMembership SetyourselfupforsuccessthisSeptemberwith50%offMindToolsmembership! JoinMindTools 1DaytoGo! AllowYourTeamtoLearnFromHome Discover MindToolsforBusiness-empoweringeveryoneinyourorganizationtothriveatworkwithaccesstolearningwhentheyneedit.  FindOutMore 1DaytoGo! RelatedResources FromMindTools HelpingPeopleFlourishatWork References [1]Bakker,A.B.andDemerouti,E.(2006).'TheJobDemands-ResourcesModel:StateoftheArt,'JournalofManagerialPsychology,Vol.22,No.3.Availablehere. Signup Toprovidefeedback UserResearch We'realwaysstrivingtoimproveyourexperienceontheplatformandwe'dlovetohearyourfeedbackonsomenewandexistingdesigns. Signuphereandgetinvitedtoparticipateinouruserresearch! SponsoredLinks Toolkit LeadershipSkills(60) TeamManagement(310) StrategyTools(144) ProblemSolving(47) DecisionMaking(57) ProjectManagement(65) TimeManagement(64) StressManagement(76) CommunicationSkills(150) CreativityTools(29) LearningSkills(56) CareerSkills(212) MyLearningPlan AddArticletoMyPlan SaveMyPlan RecentlyAdded {{latestItems.length}} {{item.rm_title_short}} {{item.pgr_name}} MyLearningPlanPage FindOutMore SubscribetoOurNewsletter Receivenewcareerskillseveryweek,plusgetourlatestoffersandafreedownloadablePersonalDevelopmentPlanworkbook. ReadourPrivacyPolicy SubscribetoOurNewsletter Receivenewcareerskillseveryweek,plusgetourlatestoffersandafreedownloadablePersonalDevelopmentPlanworkbook. ReadourPrivacyPolicy Processing Pleasewait...