Work Engagement in Agile Teams

Extending Multilevel JD‐R Theory

Dados Bibliográficos

ID6437403
AutoresTom L Junker (0000-0001-5293-425X, Department of Human Resource Studies Tilburg University Tilburg the Netherlands, autor correspondente), Arnold B Bakker (0000-0003-1489-1847, Center of Excellence for Positive Organizational Psychology Erasmus University Rotterdam Rotterdam the Netherlands), Daantje Derks (0000-0002-4494-5212, Center of Excellence for Positive Organizational Psychology Erasmus University Rotterdam Rotterdam the Netherlands), Jan Luca Pletzer (0000-0002-8313-4447, Center of Excellence for Positive Organizational Psychology Erasmus University Rotterdam Rotterdam the Netherlands)
Ano2025
Volume46
Fascículo4
Páginas512-529
Data de publicação2025-01-14
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoJournal of Organizational Behavior (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 0894-3796 • E-ISSN: 1099-1379
EditoraWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1002/job.2860
OpenAlexW4406353554
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas4
Referências citadas125

Teams often fail to mobilize their resources effectively, which can undermine team engagement. Prominent work engagement theories, including Job Demands‐Resources (JD‐R) theory, have not accounted for this conceptually. By taking a closer look at how teams can mobilize resources through their use of agile work practices (AWPs), we develop a multilevel extension of JD‐R theory. First, we propose that agile taskwork (i.e., use of sprint planning and iterative development practices) contributes to team engagement, especially in teams working on complex tasks. Second, we argue that agile teamwork (i.e., frequency of stand‐up and retrospective meetings) promotes team engagement only when team role conflict low. We test our hypotheses in a field study involving 110 teams ( N = 694 employees) with multisource ratings of job demands and two different operationalizations of team engagement. Our findings demonstrate which AWPs contribute more (vs. less) strongly to team engagement. Moreover, results evidence the boosting principle of JD‐R theory at the team‐level by showing that resource mobilization through agile taskwork is most engaging in challenging contexts (i.e., high work complexity). We discuss the implications of these findings for JD‐R theory and research on collective work engagement

Agile software development · Business · Economics · Knowledge management · Management · Multilevel model · Process management · Work (physics · Work engagement · Computer Science · Engineering · Innovation and Knowledge Management · Job Satisfaction and Organizational Behavior · Psychology · Team Dynamics and Performance · Mechanical Engineering