Characteristics of the Work Environment: An Exploratory Analysis of Job Demands and Job Resources among Employees across Different Industries and Career Stages in North Macedonia

Building on the Job Demands-Resources model (Bakker & Demerouiti, 2007) this research aims to identify differences in the characteristics of the work environment perceived by employees at varying career stages and across diverse industries (healthcare, education, administration, HRM, IT) in North Macedonia. The Questionnaire on the Experience and Evaluation of Work (QEEW2.0), developed by Van Veldhoven and Meijman (1994), was utilised for data collection. The sample comprised 229 participants (Nfemale = 194, Mage = 36,15, Std = 0,360) with data analysed using both parametric and non-parametric tests. Results indicate significant variations in job demands and resources perception across industries, with the IT sector often reporting more positive work environment characteristics. Additionally, notable distinctions were observed between employees in early and later career stages regarding emotional load, complexity, and collegue relationships. While these findings suggest that both industry and careere stage may influence how employees perceive job demands and resources, they should be interpreted with caution due to the relatively small sample size. Nonetheless, the observed trends provide preliminary insights that can guide the desing of more supportive work environments conductive to employee well-being and satisfaction.