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Authenticity at work – a job-demands resources perspective

U. Baran Metin (Social and Organizational Psychology Department, Utrecht Universiteit, Utrecht, The Netherlands)
Toon W. Taris (Social and Organizational Psychology Department, Utrecht Universiteit, Utrecht, The Netherlands)
Maria C. W. Peeters (Social and Organizational Psychology Department, Utrecht Universiteit, Utrecht, The Netherlands)
Ilona van Beek (Social and Organizational Psychology Department, Utrecht Universiteit, Utrecht, The Netherlands)
Ralph Van den Bosch (Department of Research and Organizational Development, DilemmaFoundation, Zwolle, The Netherlands)

Journal of Managerial Psychology

ISSN: 0268-3946

Article publication date: 14 March 2016

3085

Abstract

Purpose

Previous research has demonstrated strong relations between work characteristics (e.g. job demands and job resources) and work outcomes such as work performance and work engagement. So far, little attention has been given to the role of authenticity (i.e. employees’ ability to experience their true selves) in these relations. The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship of state authenticity at work with job demands and resources on the one hand and work engagement, job satisfaction, and subjective performance on the other hand.

Design/methodology/approach

In total, 680 Dutch bank employees participated to the study. Structural equation modelling was used to test the goodness-of-fit of the hypothesized model. Bootstrapping (Preacher and Hayes, 2008) was used to examine the meditative effect of state authenticity.

Findings

Results showed that job resources were positively associated with authenticity and, in turn, that authenticity was positively related to work engagement, job satisfaction, and performance. Moreover, state authenticity partially mediated the relationship between job resources and three occupational outcomes.

Research limitations/implications

Main limitations to this study were the application of self-report questionnaires, utilization of cross-sectional design, and participation of a homogeneous sample. However, significant relationship between workplace characteristics, occupational outcomes, and state authenticity enhances our current understanding of the JD-R Model.

Practical implications

Managers might consider enhancing state authenticity of employees by investing in job resources, since high levels of authenticity was found to be strongly linked to positive occupational outcomes.

Originality/value

This study is among the first to examine the role of authenticity at workplace and highlights the importance of state authenticity for work-related outcomes.

Keywords

Citation

Metin, U.B., Taris, T.W., Peeters, M.C.W., van Beek, I. and Van den Bosch, R. (2016), "Authenticity at work – a job-demands resources perspective", Journal of Managerial Psychology, Vol. 31 No. 2, pp. 483-499. https://doi.org/10.1108/JMP-03-2014-0087

Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2016, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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