When the Job Does Not Fit: The Moderating Role of Job Crafting and Meaningful Work in the Relation Between Employees’ Perceived Overqualification and Job Boredom

Abstract

Job boredom is a common experience at work; however, it has been neglected in research and practice compared to other well-being states. Based on the person-job fit theory, this article aims to examine the association between employees’ perceived overqualification and job boredom, analyzing potential moderators. In Study 1, we analyzed job crafting as a moderator using a sample of 832 employees from different organizations in Puerto Rico. Results supported the relation between employees’ perceived overqualification and job boredom but did not support the moderating effect of job crafting since only two dimensions (i.e., increasing structural resources and increasing challenging demands) significantly moderate this association in an opposite direction. In Study 2, we analyzed the moderating role of meaningful work with a sample of 394 employees. Results supported the moderating effect of meaningful work on the relation between employees’ perceived overqualification and job boredom. While job crafting dimensions of increasing structural resources and increasing challenging demands strengthen or have little effect on reducing the association between employees’ perceived overqualification and job boredom, meaningful work buffers this effect. These findings suggest that organizations must provide opportunities for employees to find meaning in their jobs. Additional research is needed to understand the role of job crafting to reduce job boredom.