The mediating role of job crafting in the relationship between creativity self and career satisfaction: An empirical study

The Mediating Role of Job Crafting in the Relationship Between Creativity Self and Career Satisfaction: An Empirical Study In today's rapidly evolving organizations, employees are expected to demonstrate creativity and innovation in shaping their job roles. However, mere creativity may not lead to career satisfaction unless individuals actively work to modify their responsibilities, relationships, or outlook on their employment. This research examined whether job crafting could serve as a means for creative individuals to find greater meaning and fulfillment in their jobs. The study utilized a quantitative approach and adopted a cross-sectional design. Data were collected from professionals across various industries in Lagos, Nigeria. A structured questionnaire was used to assess three key areas: Self-creativity, job crafting, and career satisfaction. To provide data from a diverse range of employment kinds and industries, the sample was drawn using stratified random sampling. The study had a sample size of 300 participants. In the measurement of mediation effects, the analysis employed Hayes's PROCESS Macro Model 4, which yields an unbiased estimation of indirect relationships in the case of mediation. The results demonstrated that individuals with high creativity-self were considerably more likely to engage in job crafting behaviors. The findings also revealed that job crafting was a strong positive predictor of career satisfaction, highlighting its potential to facilitate meaningful and engaging professional lives. Importantly, the analysis confirmed that job crafting is one way creative self is converted into enhanced career satisfaction. This suggests that employees who view themselves as creative are likely to redefine their jobs so that it has meaning and satisfaction, aligning with their abilities and values. Several practice implications arise from these findings that organizations can take action on. By fostering adaptable role design, autonomy-supportive leadership, and formal training programs that cultivate creative confidence, employers can create an organizational culture where job crafting is encouraged. Investing in job crafting can therefore yield substantial benefits to individuals and their organizations. Keywords: Creativity-Self, Job Crafting, Career Satisfaction, Lagos, Nigeria.