Moderating Role of Work/Non-Work Interference and Enhancement in the Associations of Job Characteristics, Person-Job-Fit, and Military Personnel Career Adaptation

Military career adaptability is critical for a country like Nigeria facing insecurity issues as it affects work engagement with the job performance of soldiers, development and sovereignty of many nations and countries. A substantial literature has examined the predictors of career adaptation. Still, there is little research on the contributions of personality, enhancement and interference, vocational with task identity factors and military career adaptation. Since unadaptable soldiers may not be able to fight against terrorists, resurgences and other domestic insecurity challenges associated with harmful consequences in armed forces, defence organisations, and countries. We investigated moderating role of work/non-work interference and enhancement on the associations of job characteristics and person-job-fit in military personnel career adaptation. The theory of work adjustment is comprehensive to explain the factors connected with the development and issue of military career adaptability. The study utilised a cross-sectional design with two hundred and fifty-two (252) military personnel. Their age ranged from 18-65 years (M= .34, SD= .72). The Global Self-Report Measure for Person-Job-Fit, Job Description Survey, Work/Non-Work Interference and Enhancement Scale and the Career Adaptability Scale were used for data collection. Hierarchical regression results showed that job characteristics, person-job-fit and work/non-work interference positively correlated with career adaptation. Interaction between job characteristics and work/non-work interference was significant for career adaptability, indicating that work/non-work interference moderated the association of job characteristics and career adaptability. Defence organisations must recognise the importance of assisting soldiers in adapting to their jobs by avoiding interference and implementing work enhancement policies, altering job characteristics, and enlisting and deploying best-fitted soldiers for combat.
[1] Abiodun, T. F., & Taofeek, C. R. (2020). Unending war on Boko haram terror in northeast Nigeria and the need for deployment of military robots or autonomous weapons systems to complement military operations. International Journal of Advance Academic Research, 6(6), 1-17. https://doi/10.46654/ij.24889849
[2] Al-Jubari, I., Shamsol, A., S. N. B., AhmadSuhaimi, A. A. B., & Mosbah, A. (2021). The impact of career adaptability and social support on job search self-efficacy: A case study in Malaysia. The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business, 8(6), 515-524. https://doi 10.13106/jafeb.2021.vol8.no6.0515
[3] Aydiner, C., Orak, U., & Solakoglu, O. (2020). What factors influenced Turkish military officers' and NCOs' motivation to serve prior to the July 2016 coup attempt? Armed Forces & Society, 46(4), 635-656. https://doi/abs/10.1177/0095327X19841663
[4] Barrick, M. R., Mount, M. K., & Li, N. (2013). The theory of purposeful work behaviour: The role of personality, higher-order goals and job characteristics. Academy of Management Review, 38(1), 132–153. https://doi.org/10.5465/amr.2010.0479
[5] Brown, A., Bimrose, J., Barnes, S. A., & Hughes, D. (2012). The role of career adaptabilities for mid-career changers. Journal of Vocational Behaviour, 80(3), 754-761. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2012.01.003
[6] Cai, D., Cai, Y., Sun, Y., & Ma, J. (2018). Linking empowering leadership and employee work engagement: The effects of person-job fit, person-group fit, and proactive personality. Frontiers in Psychology, 9(1), 1304-1556. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01304
[7] Chang, X., Zhou, Y., Wang, C., & de PablosHeredero, C. (2017). How do work-family balance practices affect work-family conflict? The differential roles of work stress. Frontiers of Business Research in China, 11(1), 1-22. https://doi.org/10.1186/s11782-017-0008-4
[8] Danielsson, A. (2020). Knowledge in and of military operations: Enriching the reflexive gaze in critical research on the military. Critical Military Studies, 115(93), 1-19. https://doi.org/10.1080/23337486.2020.1835341
[9] Dawis, R. V. (2005). The Minnesota theory of work adjustment. Career Development, 1(3), 22-56. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2004-21312-001
[10] Dyson, T. (2020). A revolution in military learning? Cross-functional teams and knowledge transformation by lessons-learned processes. European Security, 29(4), 483-505. https://doi.org/10.1080/09662839.2020.1795835
[11] Farrell, T. (2020). Military adaptation and organisational convergence in war: Insurgents and international forces in Afghanistan. Journal of Strategic Studies, 45(5), 1-25. https://doi.org/10.1080/01402390.2020.1768371
[12] Fisher, G., Bulger, C. A., & Smith, C. S. (2009). Beyond work and family: A measure of work/non-work interference and enhancement. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 14(4), 441–456. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0016737
[13] Hackman, J. R., & Oldham, G. R. (1975). Development of the job diagnostic survey. Journal of Applied Psychology, 60(2), 159–170. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0076546
[14] Hackman, J. R., & Oldham, G. R. (1976). Motivation through the design of work: Test of a theory. Organisational Behaviour and Human Performance, 16(2), 250-279. https://doi.org/10.1016/0030-5073(76)90016-7
[15] Hackman, J. R., & Oldham, G. R. (1980). Work redesign. Group & Organization Management, 7(1). https://doi.org/10.1177/105960118200700110
[16] Hartung, P. J., & Cadaret, M. C. (2017). Career adaptability: Changing self and situation for satisfaction and success. In Psychology of career adaptability, employability and resilience (pp.15-28). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-66954-0_2
[17] Hayman, J. R. (2009). Flexible work arrangements: exploring the linkages between perceived usability of flexible work schedules and work/life balance. Community, Work & Family, 12(3), 327–338. https://doi.org/10.1080/13668800902966331
[18] Hirschi, A., & Valero, D. (2015). Career adaptability profiles and their relationship to adaptively and adapting. Journal of Vocational Behaviour, 88(3), 220-229. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2015.03.010
[19] Huang, W., Yuan, C., & Li, M. (2019). Person-job-fit and innovation behaviour: Roles of job involvement and career commitment. Frontiers in Psychology, 10(1134), 1-10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01134
[20] Huffman, A. H., Dunbar, N., Billington, A. G., & Howes, S. S. (2019). Soldiers' perceptions of military spouses' career experiences. Military Psychology, 31(6), 510–522. https://doi.org/10.1080/08995605.2019.1676601
[21] Icheme, M. O., Ezenwakwelu, C. A., & Owuze, C. A. (2017). Personnel selection and person-organisation, job-fit, the implication for employees' performance in Nigeria. International Journal of Scientific Research and Management (IJSRM), 5(11), 7361-7369. https://doi.org/10.18535/ijsrm/v5i11.03
[22] Leona, R., Whitaker, J., Homan, Z., Bandekow, O., & Bricknell, M. (2021). Framework for the evaluation of military health system. BMJ Military Health, 169(3), 1-5. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjmilitary-2020-001699
[23] Jiang, Z. (2016). The relationship between career adaptability and job content plateau: The mediating roles of fit perceptions. Journal of Vocational Behaviour, 9(6), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2016.06.001
[24] Kelliher, C., Richardson, J., & Boiarintseva, G. (2019). All of the work? All of life? Reconceptualising work-life balance for the 21st century. Human Resource Management Journal, 29(3), 97–112. https://doi.org/10.1111/1748-8583.12215
[25] MartínezCorts, I., ManzanaresGavilán, S., & Medina Díaz, F. J. (2021). Two in distress make sorrow less: A work-life conflict moderated mediation model. Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 37 (1), 28-34. https://doi.org/10.5093/jwop2021a3
[26] Montgomery, E. B. (2020). Signals of strength: Capability demonstrations and perceptions of military power. Journal of Strategic Studies, 43(2), 309-330. https://doi.org/10.1080/01402390.2019.1626724
[27] Odo, V. O., Ujoatuonu, I. V. N., Ike, O. O., Kanu, C. G., Okafor, C. O. & Chinweze, U. C. (2021). Job characteristics, day-to-day experiences, and military career adaptation: Moderating role by person-job-fit. Trends in Psychology, 29(4), 1-17. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43076-021-00110-1
[28] Oh, I. S., Guay, R. P., Kim, K., Harold, C. M., Lee, J. H., Heo, C. G., & Shin, K. H. (2014). Fit happens globally: A meta-analytic comparison of the relationships of person-environment-fit dimensions with work attitudes and performance across East Asia, Europe, and North America. Personnel Psychology, 67(1), 99-152. https://doi.org/10.1111/peps.12026
[29] Österberg, J., & Rydstedt, L. (2018). Job satisfaction among Swedish soldiers: Applying the Job characteristics model to newly recruited military personnel. Military Psychology, 30(4), 302–310. https://doi.org/10.1080/08995605.2018.1425585
[30] Park, S. (2017). Motivating raters through work design: Applying the job characteristics model to the performance appraisal context. Cogent Psychology, 4(1), 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311908.2017.1287320
[31] Perrigino, M., Dunford, B. B., & Wilson, K. S. (2018). Work-family backlash: The 'dark side' of work-family balance (WLB) policies. Academy of Management Annals, 12(2), 600–630. https://doi.org/10.5465/annals.2016.0077
[32] Quarton, A. (2013). Work/non-work practices and employee perceptions of organisation Attractiveness: The role of work/non-work interference and enhancement and perceived organisational support (Doctoral dissertation, Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville). https://www.academia.edu/46536469/Work_Non_Work_Practices_and_Employee_Perceptions_of_Organization_Attractiveness_The_Role_of_Work_Non_Work_Interference_and_Enhancement_and_Perceived_Organizational_Support
[33] Rudolph, C. W., Lavigne, K. N., & Zacher, H. (2017). Career adaptability: A meta-analysis of relationships with measures of adaptivity, adapting responses, and adaptation results. Journal of Vocational Behaviour, 98, 17-34. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2016.09.002
[34] Savickas, M. L. (1997). Career adaptability: An integrative construct for life-span, life-space theory. Career Development Quarterly, 45, 247–259. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/j.2161-0045.1997.tb00469.x
[35] Savickas, M. L., & Porfeli, E. J. (2012). Career adapt-abilities scale: Construction, reliability, and measurement equivalence across 13 countries. Journal of Vocational Behaviour, 80(3), 661-673. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2012.01.011
[36] Sylva, H., Mol, S. T., Den Hartog, D. N., & Dorenbosch, L. (2019). Person-job fit and proactive career behaviour: A dynamic approach. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 28(5), 631-645. https://doi.org/10.1080/1359432X.2019.1580309
[37] Ujoatuonu, I. V. N., Kanu, G. C. & Apeh, O. K. (2017).Vocational identity of Nigerian army personnel: Roles of spirit at work and energy at work. Nigerian Journal of Psychological Research, 13(1), 41-48. https://njpsyresearch.com/ojs3/index.php/njopr/article/view/52
[38] Ujoatuonu, I. V. N., Kanu, G. C., Ugwuibe, O. C., & Mbah, O. P. (2019). Role of workplace support on the relationship between perceived work-life balance policies and flourishing among Nigerian military personnel. Nigerian Journal of Psychological Research, 15, 39-45. https://njpsyresearch.com/ojs3/index.php/njopr/article/view/74
[39] Ujoatuonu, I. V. N., Okafor, C. O., Kanu, G. C., & Okeke, C. J. (2020). Job characteristics and person-job-fit as predictors of Nigerian military personnel career adaptation. Scholars Journal of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, 8(12), 1-8. https://doi.org/10.36347/sjahss.2020.v08i12.003
[40] Wong, C. M., & Tetrick, L. E. (2017). Job crafting: Older workers' mechanism for maintaining person-job fit. Frontiers in Psychology, 8(3), 1548-1620. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01548
[41] Yang, X., Feng, Y., Meng, Y., &Qiu, Y. (2019). Career adaptability, work engagement, and employee well-being among Chinese employees: The role of guanxi. Frontiers in Psychology, 10(2) 1029-1112. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01029
[42] Zacher, H. (2015). Daily manifestations of career adaptability: Relationships with job and career outcomes. Journal of Vocational Behaviour, 91(1), 76-86. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2015.09.003
[43] Zhang, W., Xu, Y., Peng, L., Bian, C., Yu, Y., Li, Y., & Li, M. (2020). Military career adaptability questionnaire in China: Development and validation. Frontiers in Psychology, 11(2), 280-302. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00280