Crafting Control: Exploring the Impact of Machiavellianism on Job Crafting and Job Satisfaction

Practically, discrepancies in job satisfaction among workers in similar roles suggest that individual characteristics significantly impact how job crafting behaviors are implemented. The potential for job crafting to enhance satisfaction has yet to be fully explored, particularly in the context of Machiavellian traits as a moderating influence. Using the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model as the framework, our study aimed to determine if these traits functioned as a resource or demand. Understanding how Machiavellian traits impact how employees craft their work may inform and facilitate tailored workplace interventions that accommodate diverse personality types. This cross-sectional study, using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) with multiple post hoc analyses, examines the moderating role of Machiavellianism on the relationship between job crafting behaviors and job satisfaction in a sample of U.S. workers (N = 291). Results from the total sample revealed that cognitive crafting had the strongest positive relationship with job satisfaction, while relational crafting showed a smaller but significant positive effect. Machiavellianism did not moderate the relationship between task crafting and job satisfaction but moderated the effects of cognitive and relational crafting. Specifically, Machiavellianism acted as a demand for cognitive crafting in the total sample and the segmented sample for Generation X, reducing job satisfaction while functioning as a resource for relational crafting in the same group. These findings highlight the dual role of Machiavellianism and suggest that its impact on job crafting and satisfaction varies by crafting type and generation.