Job engagement, job satisfaction, and contrasting associations with person-job fit

Abstract

Forms of well-being vary in their activation as well as valence, differing in respect of energy-related arousal in addition to whether they are negative or positive. Those differences suggest the need to refine traditional assumptions that poor person-job fit causes lower well-being. More activated forms of well-being were proposed to be associated with poorer, rather than better, want-actual fit, since greater motivation raises wanted levels of job features and may thus reduce fit with actual levels. As predicted, activated well-being (illustrated by job engagement) and more quiescent well-being (here, job satisfaction) were found to be associated with poor fit in opposite directions-positively and negatively, respectively. Theories and organizational practices need to accommodate the partly contrasting implications of different forms of well-being. © 2012 American Psychological Association.