Understanding job demands and resources through network analysis: insights into workplace interconnectivity.

Abstract

Background: This study uses network analysis to explore how job demands and resources may proliferate and interconnect within the workplace.

Objectives: To examine how demands and resources escalate and form ecologies by mapping their interconnections within workplace dynamics.

Design: We capitalized on a large-scale cross-sectional data collection in Navy personnel preparing for deployment.

Methods: Data were collected via paper-survey from 558 participants (75.8% males; Mage  = 30.22 years). A diversity of demands and resources were measured including from distinct sources.

Results: Resources were extensively and positively interconnected, consistent with the resource spirals concept. Distal resources were connected via job control and organizational-based self-esteem. In contrast, demands were more compartmentalized. Positive links between demands across domains, especially those involving interpersonal conflict, suggest that social mechanisms may underlie their interconnection.

Conclusions: These findings suggest how interconnected resources may help strengthen resource ecologies within organizations, while minimizing demand interconnectivity could reduce strain. The observed structure suggests that social factors may support the association between distinct resources (e.g., organizational-based self-esteem) or demands (i.e., interpersonal conflict), suggesting a role in resource or demand spirals. This highlights the potential role of psychological needs, particularly autonomy and relatedness, in shaping resource networks and creating more supportive workplace conditions.