Job demands-resources and conservation of resources theories: how do they help to explain employee well-being and future job design?

This paper examines the Conservation of Resources (COR) theory and the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) theory to understand and predict employee well-being and performance. COR theory suggests that individuals aim to acquire, protect, and maximize resources to reduce psychological distress and prevent burnout. JD-R theory posits that balancing job demands and resources affects employee well-being, behaviors, and performance. By exploring these theories together, the paper offers insights into supporting the workforce amid challenges like remote work and technological advancements. It highlights shared features and differences between the theories, unresolved issues, and research opportunities, such as operationalizing and testing COR theory and differentiating job demands and resources in JD-R theory. The paper concludes with predictions about future job design, emphasizing the need to balance job demands and resources to support employee well-being and performance, contributing to the literature by challenging and refining these theories.