With the globalization of the economy and the advent of the digital intelligence era driven by, the research of job crafting has gained significant scholarly interest. It offers fresh perspectives on the shaping and management of employee behavior in contemporary organizations. Tims and Bakker (2010) based on the JD-R model, argued that employee job crafting is the process whereby an employee actively pursues a challenging job and seeks help on his or her own initiative, which allows the employee's interests, motivations and unique skills to be better satisfied. However, with the expansion of higher education in China, a growing number of employees experience perceived overqualified—a condition where individuals believe their qualifications and talents surpass job requirement (Johnson & Johnson, 1996). This perception of overqualification has garnered sustantial interest in the fields of organizational behavior and management, highlighting its relevance and impact on employee dynamicas and organizational strategies. (Maynard et al., 2006). Currently, the new generation of employees, particularly those born in the post-80s and post-90s, who constitute the primary workforce (Li & Cai, 2021), are increasingly likely to experience perceived overqualification. Addressing this phenomenon among new generation employees not only facilitates their personal development, but also assists organizations in effectively nurturing these individuals within actual management practices. Consequently, this study specifically examines the relationship between perceived overqualification and job crafting among new generation employees.
1.1 Why Perceived overqualification may has a significant positive effect on job crafting among new generation employees?
Erdogan et al. (2011) indicated that employees who perceive themselves as overqualified often expand the scope of their roles within an organization and proactively seek to enhance organizational systems and norms. Additionally, they may incorporate a broader array of work activities, including proactive behaviors that beyond their job requirements (Zhang et al., 2016). Job crafting, defined by Seppälä et al. (2020) as the proactive modification of work characteristics to better align one’s talents with their role, is a prime example of such behavior. Consequently, employees who perceive overqualification are likely to engage in job crafting to utilize their skills more effectively. This tendency is also evident among the new generation of employees, who actively leverage theri quelifications to adapt and reshapr their jobs (Li & Ding, 2019). Furthermore, Ko (2011) suggested that the job crafting behaviors are partly driven by the mismatch between an individual’s capabilities and their work environment, underscoring the adaptive nature of this process.
1.2 Why Role-width self-efficacy may mediates the relationship between perceived overqualification and job crafting?
According to self-regulation theory, individuals who perceived their knowledge, abilities and skills as exceeding their current job requirements engage in self-regulation to align their cognition, emotions and behaviors with their job demands, thereby minimizing discrepancies and achieving their ultimate goal (Carver & Scheier, 2001). Zhang et al (2016) noted that perceived overqualifie enhanced self-efficacy, particularly in performing a broader range of job tasks than those required, thereby increasing role width self-efficacy– a ffinding corroborated by their research. Additionally, employees with perceived overqualification are more likely to attribute their workplace successes to their abilities, further boosting their role width self-efficacy (Gist & Mitchell, 1992). Dynasty (2019) also found that perceived overqualification significantly positively affects role width self-efficacy. Role width self-efficacy, which is an individual's cognitive judgment of their competence tasks beyond their prescribed job, enhances the expectation of success in this activities (Hwang, et al., 2015) and has been to promote proactive job crafting (Hu & Zhang, 2022). Furthermore, through training and other developmental activities, employees can continuously adjust the gap between their actual and desired states, improving their work skills and effectively enhancing their role width self-efficacy, which in turn facilitates more effective job crafting (Sun et al., 2020; Hu & Zhang, 2022).
1.3 Why Job alienation may has a mediating role in the relationship between perceived overqualification and job crafting?
Based on the theory of resource conservation, individuals who perceive that their talents are underutilized experience a sense of resource loss, prompting protective behaviors to minimize further resourcec depletion. This often manifests as organizational alienation, where employees develop a sense of job aliennation, leading to negative emotions and a reduction in proactive behaviors (Xie et al, 2015).. Research by Luksyte et al. (2011) indicates individuals experiencing perceived overqualification feel that their needs are unmet, often perceiving their work as insufficiently challenging to match their qualifications. This mismatch can diminish interest and enthusiasm, leading to a lack of engagement and an increasing inability to identify with their professional role, culminating in self-alienation (Cao & Wei, 2022). Consequently, this state of job alienation can reduce employees' commitment to their roles and, to a certain extent, inhibit their spontaneous and proactive job crafting behaviors. (Armstrong-Stassen, 2004; Xie et al., 2015).
1.4 Why job autonomy may plays the moderating function༟
Drawing from the compensation perspective of resource conservation theory, Hobfoll (1989) posits that individuals facing work-relatedc stressors may seek to alleviate this pressure and psychological imbalance through accessible resources such as work control and job autonomy. Specially, job autonomy can compensate for the resource loss experienced due to perceived overqualification, offering a means of relief. Hackman and Oldham (1975) further suggest that job autonomy transforms the subjective psychological experience of employees, thereby altering their work attitudes and enhancing their motivation. This motivational aspect is echoed by Parker (1998), who identifies role width self-efficacy as inherently motivational. Consequently, when employees perceive a high degree of job autonomy, they not only feel a greater sense of trust from their organization but also experience enhanced motivation and confidence in completing work tasks. Furthermore, Hornung and Rousseau(2007) observed that job autonomy at work not only shifts employees' subjective psychological experiences but also foster the development of individual motivation. This, in turn, positively affects role width self-efficacy and personal initiative, leading to active participation in organizational structural adjustments. Therefore, fostering job autonomy may be a crucial factor in promoting successful job crafting within organizations, enabling employees to tailor their work environments in ways that enhance their engagement and productivity.
When individuals perceive that their skills and talents are underutilized, they may experience a sense of.resource loss, leading to protective behaviors such as organizational alienation. This phenomenon, as Xie et al (2015) describe, results in various negative psychological reactions within the workplace. In response to these negative effects, Elrehail et al. (2021) suggest that work resources can mitigate work demands, thereby alleviating psychological and physiological burdens on individuals.. Among these resources, job autonomy plays a crucial role in compensate for depleted resources and mitigating negative experiences such as job alienation. As a result, increasing job autonomy can reduce feelings of job alienation, especially when employees perceive that their qualifications are not adequately utilized (Nair & Vohra, 2010).
Building on this foundation, the theoretical model presented in Fig. 1 leads to the formulation of the following hypotheses:
Hypothesis 1
Perceived overqualification has a significant positive effect on job crafting among new generation employees.
Hypothesis
a: Role width self-efficacy mediates the relationship between perceived overqualification and job crafting.
Hypothesis
b: Job alienation mediates the relationship between perceived overqualifications and job crafting.
Hypothesis
a: Job autonomy positively moderates the relationship between perceived employee overqualification and role width self-efficacy. Specially, the higher the level of job autonomy, the greater the enhancement of role width self-efficacy resulting from perceived overqualification.
Hypothesis
b: Job autonomy negatively moderates the relationship between perceived overqualification and job alienation. The higher the level of employee job autonomy, the lower the level of job alienation caused by perceived employee overqualification.