Disengaged at Work? Discover the Power of Job Crafting (Inspired by Your Personality)

We've all been there: the slow creep of disengagement, when your daily task list starts to feel like a slog and your spark of passion has dimmed. When your work no longer fits you, it can quickly become a source of stress rather than satisfaction.

Sadly, discontent at work is all too common. Gallup's 2024 U.S. Employee Engagement report reveals that only 31% of employees are engaged, marking the lowest level in a decade. Another report by Gallup shows that around 50% of employees are "quiet quitting," doing the bare minimum required, while 16% are "loud quitting," actively disengaged and undermining their workplace. 

With such high levels of disengagement, it’s clear that something needs to change. But where do you start? If you're feeling stuck in a dead-end role or your strengths are subtly being sidelined—and moving to a new job isn’t an option—consider job crafting. This creative process offers an empowering way to reimagine your work so your role better reflects your strengths and motivations.

What Is Job Crafting?

Think of your job as a set of puzzle pieces. Arranged one way, it may feel routine and restrictive; but reshuffled with intention, it can become far more meaningful and energizing. Job crafting is the process of proactively changing aspects of your job to better suit your values and strengths. It’s about reworking your current role to bring more energy, purpose and connection.

The job crafting concept was first introduced by organizational psychologists Amy Wrzesniewski and Jane Dutton, who identified three main ways people craft their jobs: through making changes to key tasks, to relationships, and even to your mindset—how you think about your job.    Job crafting isn’t just about tweaking your to-do list—it’s about reshaping your role to reflect what truly matters to you.

Research shows that even small efforts in job crafting can lead to meaningful improvements. Job crafting can boost job satisfaction, increase motivation and even improve well-being. And when employees feel empowered to shape their roles, they’re more engaged, which leads to better outcomes for the organization, like higher productivity and lower turnover. 

Why Personality Insights Matter

Self-awareness is your secret weapon when it comes to job crafting. When you truly understand your values and strengths, you're equipped to make intentional shifts that bring more energy, purpose and clarity to your role. Personality assessments like the Big Five, Enneagram, DISC, or the 16-type system inspired by Isabel Briggs Myers, can help you identify your natural tendencies and motivations—and these insights can guide you toward more strategic shifts in redesigning your work.

For example, someone high in Openness (from the Big Five) might thrive on novelty and benefit from crafting new projects, while someone high in Conscientiousness may find satisfaction in creating more structure or refining systems. Your personality gives you a personalized roadmap for crafting a role that fits you best.

How to Shape Your Job Crafting Strategy, Based on Your Personality

Job crafting happens in three primary ways: task, relational and cognitive. Each provides a pathway for personalization, and your personality type can offer clues about which path may feel most natural and rewarding.

1. Task crafting: Changing what you do

Task crafting involves reshaping the actual duties of your job. This might mean taking on more of what energizes you or finding ways to delegate or even eliminate the parts that drain you. For example:

• If you're an Enneagram Type 3 (The Achiever): You might gravitate toward high-impact projects that allow you to shine. Task crafting can look like volunteering for highly visible projects or setting challenging stretch goals that push your growth.
• If you're an ISFJ type (from the 16-type system): You may prefer behind-the-scenes tasks that contribute to harmony and structure. Task crafting could mean finding new ways to streamline workflows or mentor new team members.

2. Relational crafting: Changing who you interact with

Relational crafting means shifting the nature or focus of your work relationships. It might involve seeking out new collaborators, creating broader connections with clients or coworkers, or even reducing the time you spend with people in favor of more solo work time. For example:

• If you're high in Extraversion (Big Five): You might feel more energized by expanding your social network at work. You could initiate cross-functional projects or schedule regular brainstorming sessions.
• If you're a DISC "S" type (Support): You might value deep, trusting relationships. Relational crafting could mean strengthening existing bonds, offering support, or building community through one-on-one check-ins.

3. Cognitive crafting: Changing how you think about your work

Cognitive crafting involves reframing the way you perceive your job. It's about finding new meaning in what you do or connecting it to a larger purpose. For example:

• If you're an Enneagram Type 9 (The Peacemaker): You may benefit from reframing your role as a stabilizing force on the team, helping reduce conflict and create balance.
• If you're an INFP (from the 16-type system): You might find meaning in aligning your work with personal values. Cognitive crafting could involve seeing your job as a platform for helping others or advocating for change.

A Mini Guide to Job Crafting

Ready to start? Here’s a simple six-step framework to help you apply job crafting in your own role.

1. Take a personality assessment.
   Use tools like Truity’s free tests to gain insights into your personality type. 
   • What do the results reveal about how you naturally approach tasks, relationships and challenges at work? Are there any new insights that could guide your job crafting?
2. Review your current role.
   Take stock the tasks you perform, the people you interact with and your perception of your role. 
   • Which aspects of your job are most energizing? What parts make you feel stuck, drained, or disengaged?
3. Identify your job crafting opportunities.
   Choose one area (task, relational or cognitive) to start with. 
   • What’s one area of your role you could shift to have the biggest positive impact on your energy or satisfaction?
4. Experiment with small changes.
   Start with small, manageable adjustments in your chosen area. It could be taking on a new task that excites you, fostering new relationships or simply changing the way you view your work.
   • What’s one small change you can make in the next week to bring more energy or purpose to your work? How might you feel more engaged if you made this shift? 
5. Get feedback.
   Track the changes you make and ask for feedback from others if possible.
   • How did the changes you made affect your day-to-day work experience? Did it have an impact on your motivation, stress levels or overall satisfaction?
6. Continue the process.
   Job crafting is an ongoing practice. Keep experimenting, tweaking and adjusting as you learn what works for you. Continue to make small changes, and don’t be afraid to experiment with new approaches.
   • What’s the next area you can adjust to continue improving your job satisfaction and engagement? How will you keep refining your role over time?

Final Thoughts

Job crafting isn’t about overhauling your role overnight. It’s about tuning in, making intentional shifts and shaping your work so it better reflects who you are. When guided by your personality, job crafting becomes more than a workplace strategy—it becomes a practice in authenticity.

So if you’re feeling stuck, start small. Your job has more flexibility than you think. And you? You have more creativity and power to shape it than you realize.