Job Crafting Exercise FAQ

Using the JCE on your own:
Administering the JCE in group workshops:
Administering the JCE in one-on-one coaching:
Administering the JCE in the classroom:

Using the JCE on your own

What can I gain from doing the JCE?

The Job Crafting Exercise can help you uncover ways to make the most of your current job. To do this, the exercise challenges you to take a step back and think about your job in a new, visual way — as a flexible set of building blocks rather than a fixed list of duties. The visual and creative nature of the exercise enables you to ask and answer a number of questions about your job in a clear, concise, and enjoyable way.

As a result, the JCE can help you:
  • Discover innovative ideas for how to improve your life at work
  • Develop a more positive attitude about your job
  • Reveal resourceful solutions to problems
  • Unlock new insights about yourself and your job

How can the JCE help me through hard economic times?

In the current economic climate, switching to a new job or retiring in the near future may be difficult. So you may be in your job for longer than you would like or had previously planned. If this is the case, your best option is to make the most of your current job for the time being. The JCE is designed to help you do so by uncovering opportunities for using existing elements of your job in ways that make your life at work more engaging and fulfilling.

How much time will it take me to complete the JCE?

45-70 minutes

What should I know about the JCE before I start?

Although the instruction booklet is self-explanatory, you may find it helpful to know the following breakdown of the two parts of the JCE:

Before Sketch (Part A):
  • Time and energy are scarce resources at work. People often get stuck in the day-to-day grind of their jobs and lose sight of how they are spending these precious resources.
  • Creating a Before Sketch encourages you to take a step back and gauge how you are allocating your time and energy at work.
After Diagram (Part B):
  • Creating your After Diagram helps you identify ways to create a better fit between your day-to-day tasks and your values, strengths, and passions.
  • Your After Diagram serves as a visual image of opportunities for how you can craft your job to be more engaging and fulfilling.

Is there any prep work I should do before starting the JCE?

The instruction booklet contains all the supplies needed to do the exercise except for a writing instrument. If possible, use an ultra fine-point permanent marker (like a Sharpie) to avoid smearing on the stickers.

No prep work is required. But to create an accurate Before Sketch, some people find it helpful to start thinking about how they typically spend their time and energy at work for a few days prior to doing the JCE.

If you'd like more background information on job crafting, you can read What Is Job Crafting and Why Does It Matter?, which is a theory-to-practice briefing that summarizes job crafting theory and research.

What should I do if I feel overwhelmed or have trouble getting started on my After Diagram?

Creating an After Diagram requires you to think about a number of things at the same time. If you feel overwhelmed or do not know where to start, try taking this 'one-by-one' approach:
  • Lay your green task stickers and your values, strengths, and passions out in columns next to each other.
  • Start assessing, one-by-one, which tasks enable you to fulfill a value, utilize a strength, or pursue a passion (and which tasks do not). Set the tasks next to their corresponding values, strengths, and passions.
  • For tasks that do not fit any value, strength, or passion, try to figure out ways of reshaping or reimagining the task to suit at least one value, strength, or passion.
  • After you find a place for all these tasks, you can revisit the tasks that initially fit a value, strength, or passion and try to figure out ways of creating an even better fit.

How can I address work/life balance in my After Diagram?

Although the JCE does not directly address this, you can approach the exercise as a tool to help you manage your work/life balance in two different ways:
  • First, you can simply use your After Diagram as a means to limit the tasks and amount of work that you'd like to include in your job (to avoid work spilling over into your family or leisure time). Also, if applicable, the exercise can help you prioritize which tasks you're willing to do at home and which tasks you're only willing to do at work.
  • The second option is including your family and leisure activities as 'tasks' in your After Diagram. This approach can help you see connections between your job and your life outside of work. And if you wish, you can use Role Frames to define boundaries between work and life or to integrate aspects of work and life into the same role.

I've created my After Diagram, now what should I do with it?

Once you have completed your After Diagram and Action Plan, you may benefit from discussing your job crafting plans with a friend, colleague, or family member. Talking with someone can help you sort out your thoughts and make your job crafting plans feel more “real.” If you feel comfortable, many people have reported that discussing their After Diagram with their supervisor shortly after doing the exercise helped them implement their job crafting plans. In general, the key is to not let your After Diagram collect dust. To get the most benefit from the JCE, you must be proactive about making your After Diagram a reality.

Administering the JCE in group workshops

What makes the JCE valuable to people?

The JCE helps people find ways to make the most of their current job. To do this, the exercise challenges people to take a step back and think about their job in a new, visual way — as a flexible set of building blocks rather than a fixed list of duties. The visual and creative nature of the exercise enables people to ask and answer a number of questions about their job in a clear, concise, and enjoyable way.

As a result, people find that the JCE helps them:
  • Discover innovative ideas for how to improve their lives at work
  • Develop a more positive attitude about their jobs
  • Reveal resourceful solutions to problems
  • Unlock new insights about themselves and their jobs

How can the JCE help individuals and organizations through hard economic times?

In the current economic climate, switching to a new job or retiring in the near future are unrealistic options for many people. Since they will be in their jobs for longer than they might want, their best option is to make the most of their current jobs for the time being. The JCE is designed to help them do so by uncovering opportunities for using existing elements of their jobs in ways that make their lives at work more engaging and fulfilling.

Especially in the current economic conditions, many managers do not have the time or resources to be customizing job designs for each individual employee. The JCE can help managers by placing the responsibility of customizing jobs into employees' own hands and encouraging them to actively seek and seize opportunities to change their own jobs in ways that benefit them and the organization.

What is the value of administering the JCE in group workshops versus just having people do it on their own time?

Although the instruction booklet is self-explanatory so that people can do the JCE on their own, people are usually eager to discuss their thoughts and findings with others during and after the JCE. People find that sharing with others sparks creative thinking, helps them sort out their thoughts, and makes their job crafting plans feel more "real." So even though the JCE is an individual activity, a group workshop is an ideal setting for it.

How much time is required for a JCE workshop?

At a minimum, the workshop should be two hours. But the ideal length is around three hours, as this allows for more group discussion before, during, and after participants do the JCE.

How should I structure the JCE workshop?

Refer to Outline of a 2-Hour Job Crafting Exercise Workshop (free PDF download).

What should I do to prepare for the JCE workshop? Do I need to assign prep work to the participants?

  • Each instruction booklet contains all the supplies needed for one person to complete the JCE except for a writing instrument. If possible, use an ultra fine-point permanent marker (like a Sharpie) to avoid smearing on the stickers.
  • You do not need to assign participants any prep work, but some people find it helpful to start thinking about their Before Sketch for a few days prior to the workshop.
  • If possible, it works well to arrange the desks/tables in the room into groups of four, as it enables participants to easily discuss in pairs as well as with the other pair at their table.
  • If you'd like more background information on job crafting, you can read What Is Job Crafting and Why Does It Matter?, which is a theory-to-practice briefing that summarizes job crafting theory and research.

How can I use the JCE to help achieve specific organizational goals?

Before participants start the JCE, explain the organizational goal you would like them to address and ask them to keep this in mind throughout the exercise. In particular, encourage them to try to identify opportunities for win-win connections between their values, strengths, and passions and tasks that are important to achieving the organizational goal. During the whole group discussion at the end of the workshop, you can discuss the win-win opportunities that participants identified.

How can I help participants who feel overwhelmed or have trouble getting started on their After Diagram?

If participants feel overwhelmed and/or have trouble getting started, suggest that they take this 'one-by-one' approach:
  • Lay their green task stickers and values, strengths, and passions out in columns next to each other.
  • Start assessing, one-by-one, which tasks enable them to fulfill a value, utilize a strength, or pursue a passion (and which tasks do not). Set the tasks next to their corresponding values, strengths, and passions.
  • For tasks that do not fit any value, strength, or passion, try to figure out ways of reshaping or reimagining the task to suit at least one value, strength, or passion.
  • After they find a place for all these tasks, they can revisit the tasks that initially fit a value, strength, or passion and try to figure out ways of creating an even better fit.

What should I tell participants who ask about addressing work/life balance in their After Diagram?

Although the JCE does not directly address this, if participants want, they can approach the exercise as a tool to help them manage their work/life balance in two different ways:
  • First, they can simply use their After Diagram as a means to limit the tasks and amount of work that they'd like to include in their job (to avoid work spilling over into their family or leisure time). Also, if applicable, the exercise can help them prioritize which tasks they're willing to do at home and which tasks they're only willing to do at work.
  • The second option is including their family and leisure activities as 'tasks' in their After Diagram. This approach can help them see connections between their job and their life outside of work. And if they wish, they can use Role Frames to define boundaries between work and life or to integrate aspects of work and life into the same role.

Administering the JCE in one-on-one coaching:

What makes the JCE valuable to people?

The JCE helps people find ways to make the most of their current job. To do this, the exercise challenges people to take a step back and think about their job in a new, visual way — as a flexible set of building blocks rather than a fixed list of duties. The visual and creative nature of the exercise enables people to ask and answer a number of questions about their job in a clear, concise, and enjoyable way.

As a result, people find that the exercise helps them:
  • Discover innovative ideas for how to improve their lives at work
  • Develop a more positive attitude about their jobs
  • Reveal resourceful solutions to problems
  • Unlock new insights about themselves and their jobs

How can the JCE help individuals and organizations through hard economic times?

In the current economic climate, switching to a new job or retiring in the near future are unrealistic options for many people. Since they will be in their jobs for longer than they might want, their best option is to make the most of their current jobs for the time being. The JCE is designed to help them do so by uncovering opportunities for using existing elements of their jobs in ways that make their lives at work more engaging and fulfilling.

Especially in the current economic conditions, many managers do not have the time or resources to be customizing job designs for each individual employee. The exercise can help managers by placing the responsibility of customizing jobs into employees' own hands and encouraging them to actively seek and seize opportunities to change their own jobs in ways that benefit them and the organization.

How is the JCE helpful in one-on-one coaching?

The JCE provides a useful framework and language for talking about and analyzing one's life at work. This gives coaches (or managers) a concrete and engaging way to communicate with clients (or employees) about how they can make positive changes to their jobs.

How long does the JCE typically take someone to complete?

45-70 minutes

What should I tell the participant before he/she does the JCE?

Here are several key points to convey before the participant does the JCE:
  • Job crafting: Actively redesigning your own job to better suit your values, strengths, and passions, leading to greater enjoyment, meaning, and effectiveness.
  • Key aspects of the Job Crafting Exercise:
    • Based on cutting-edge academic research.
    • Encourages you to think about and experience your job in a new way, unlocking creative insights.
    • Helps you resourcefully use and alter elements in your job to make your work more engaging and fulfilling.
  • Summary of the Job Crafting Exercise:
    • Before Sketch (Part A): Helps you take a step back and gauge how you spend your time and energy at work.
    • After Diagram (Part B): Helps you identify opportunities to craft a more ideal—but still realistic—version of your job.
  • The instruction booklet contains all the supplies needed to do the JCE except for a writing instrument. If possible, use an ultra fine-point permanent marker (like a Sharpie) to avoid smearing on the stickers.
  • No prep work is required, but to create an accurate Before Sketch, some people find it helpful to start thinking about how they typically spend their time and energy at work for a few days prior to doing the JCE.

What should be my role in helping the participant with the JCE?

As a coach, you can provide two main sources of help:
  • First, you can be a sounding board for participants during and after the JCE. You do not need to be present while they do the JCE. But you should try to be available to discuss after they finish the Before Sketch, and then again when they finish the After Diagram. Communicating about the JCE, especially about the After Diagram and Action Plan parts, is important for sparking creative thinking, helping people sort out their thoughts, and making their job crafting plans feel more "real."
  • Second, you can help participants implement the job crafting plans that they identified in the JCE. You can work together on setting some tangible goals for how to execute their job crafting plans and help ensure those goals are carried out.

How can I help a participant who feels overwhelmed or is having trouble getting started on his/her After Diagram?

If participants feel overwhelmed and/or have trouble getting started, suggest that they take this one-by-one approach:
  • Lay their green task stickers and values, strengths, and passions out in columns next to each other.
  • Start assessing, one-by-one, which tasks enable them to fulfill a value, utilize a strength, or pursue a passion (and which tasks do not). Set the tasks next to their corresponding values, strengths, and passions.
  • For tasks that do not fit any value, strength, or passion, try to figure out ways of reshaping or reimagining the task to suit at least one value, strength, or passion.
  • After they find a place for all these tasks, they can revisit the tasks that initially fit a value, strength, or passion and try to figure out ways of creating an even better fit.

How can a participant address work/life balance in his/her After Diagram?

Although the JCE does not directly address this, participants can approach the exercise as a tool to help them manage their work/life balance in two different ways:
  • First, they can simply use their After Diagram as a means to limit the tasks and amount of work that they'd like to include in their job (to avoid work spilling over into their family or leisure time). Also, if applicable, the JCE can help them prioritize which tasks they're willing to do at home and which tasks they're only willing to do at work.
  • The second option is including their family and leisure activities as 'tasks' in their After Diagram. This approach can help them see connections between their job and their life outside of work. And if they wish, they can use Role Frames to define boundaries between work and life or to integrate aspects of work and life into the same role.

Administering the JCE in the classroom:

What course topics can I use the JCE to teach?

The JCE is an innovative tool for teaching job design and job crafting to students with or without full-time jobs. In particular, the JCE is an engaging way to teach how employees can and do actively change their own jobs to better suit their values, strengths, and passions, providing a complementary perspective to traditional, top-down views of job design.

What types of students can learn from the JCE (e.g., Exec Ed, MBA, Undergraduate)?

Because the JCE is designed for people with full-time jobs, it is ideal for Executive Education, Executive MBA, and Evening MBA students. However, it can also be a powerful learning tool for full-time students, at both the MBA and undergraduate levels (see question below).

How can I use the exercise with full-time students who do not currently have jobs?

Although the instruction booklet is written to help people craft their current jobs, you can use it with full-time students by having them approach the JCE as a way to analyze a past job, plan for a future job, or craft their life as a student. The instruction booklet includes an example After Diagram from a full-time student.

How should I design a class period around the JCE?

A teaching note on using the JCE in the classroom is available to instructors at no cost. For a copy of the teaching note, please email POS-tools@umich.edu.

In addition to a class period focusing on the JCE, the teaching note also outlines how the JCE can be used in concert with the suite of materials on job crafting offered by the Center for POS, which includes:

How much class time does the JCE require?

The JCE takes people 45-70 minutes to complete. But everyone is usually far enough along after an hour to have a productive discussion about the JCE, and those who aren't quite done can finish at home.

You can save about 20 minutes of class time by assigning the Before Sketch part as prep work.