This is one of my favorite things! I do it a lot and no one knows. I didn’t even know there was a name for it until a few years ago. The University of Michigan Ross School of Business released an article back in 2007 on the topic of job crafting. As we work and do our job, we add our own flare to our job. This is sometimes to make things easier for us, based on our knowledge and how we can improve things, and other reasons.
As I have said before, I studied computer information systems before, yes I am a nerd, duh! In a lot of things I look at ways technology can assist and make me more efficient. Another time was when my role did not include employee relations or morale, but I job crafted, so it did.
Own the Job for Yourself
I made the job fit me and be more of what I wanted it to be. As employees this is great and can lead to more fulfilling jobs. Don’t fret if your manager is concerned a little, they hopefully are just making sure you don’t derail things. The article from The University of Michigan Ross School of Business says that even when autonomy is not possible there are still ways employees craft their role. This is something that until I read the article, I did not think about, but as I look back I see this has always been something I have done.
Show Your Skills
Crafting shows you own your work, that you take an active involvement in what you are doing and you care about it. Whether that be making a form fill for you via mail merge or if it is walking the loop of workers twice a day to be present and them to know who you are. Those are my tech and HR references, nerd coming out again.
Crafting is great for morale and gives more dedicated hard-working employees. It also shows initiative and desire for more. Allowing you to show what else you can do, which could lead to a new role, new responsibilities or just more workload, but hopefully it will help you grow bucks.