Well-being on the teachers’ desk. Effects of a job crafting intervention to self-manage well-being at work

While agreement exists around the notion that teachers are one of the most important factors contributing to students’ success, achievement and quality of learning, only limited attention has been paid on how to support teachers’ wellbeing. This study aims to fill this gap by investigating the effects of a job crafting intervention focused on proactive strategies teachers can use on a daily basis to build better habits of work-related wellbeing. This is a quasi-experimental study involving nonrandom assignment to an intervention (N=43) and a control (N=60) group, -pre-post, and diary measures. Participants in the intervention group received a training focused on (a) stimulating reflection on behavioral, normative, and control beliefs referred to the self-management of job demands and resources, and (b) self-monitoring, planning, and goal setting techniques. Analyses indicate that participation in the intervention was associated with higher job crafting behaviors and work engagement. Further multi-level analyses are currently conducted to test the moderating role of social norms on the relationship between intentions to engage in job crafting and subsequent self-reported behaviors. Findings suggest that job crafting interventions entailing reflection on norms and personal beliefs referred to teachers’ proactive self-management of job demands and resources are an effective tool to sustain teachers’ wellbeing.