Crafting work in the social context: A daily diary study on the impact of ingratiation on task crafting

This study draws on the principles of COR theory to investigate the daily interpersonal dynamics that underlie job crafting, focusing on the role of ingratiation behaviors – employees' attempts to increase their attractiveness in the eyes of others – in shaping task crafting within the daily work context. Using a daily diary study design involving 133 employees over 15 days, working in various occupations (operations, management, technology, and marketing) at a large state-owned company in China, we found that ingratiation behaviors significantly increased peer support received by employees, which in turn led to greater engagement in task crafting. Furthermore, we found that the positive impact of ingratiation and the resulting social support on task crafting was strengthened by general structural resources, defined in terms of job characteristics that delineate the motivational potential of a job. Specifically, the interactive effect of social support and structural job resources was more pronounced when structural resources were lower. Our findings underscore the crucial role of interpersonal dynamics in facilitating job crafting, particularly in work settings with suboptimal work design. This research highlights that job crafting is not solely an individual endeavor but is deeply interconnected with the active management of social interactions and the contextual features of the workplace. • Daily coworker-oriented ingratiation positively influences task crafting via increased coworker support. • In work environments with suboptimal work design, daily social resources compensate for lower structural resources. • Job crafting is not solely individual; it thrives on actively managing social dynamics. • Interventions to promote job crafting should prioritize enhancing relational aspects to foster resource-rich environments. • Findings are most relevant in contexts with limited job resources, underscoring the importance of relational strategies.