Feeling burned out or bored? Have you maxed out your earning potential or promotion opportunities? Or perhaps you’re considering a change but you’re unsure if the grass is really greener on the other side.
When you’re trying to decide if you should stay or leave your job, of course, it’s important to consider salary, benefits, and title. However, one of the most overlooked but powerful indicators of job fit and satisfaction lies in the balance between what your job demands from you and the resources you have to meet those demands.
This is the core idea behind the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model, a well-regarded framework that helps us understand how work stress and motivation are shaped. When used thoughtfully, this model can be a lens for evaluating whether you’re in the right role, or what kind of environment will help you thrive. For more information, listen to Leadership Matters Episode #11 – Hold On or Move On (starting at 11:40).
What Are Job Demands and Job Resources?
Job demands are the physical, emotional, or mental efforts required to do your job. These can range from tight deadlines and heavy workloads to emotional labor and problem-solving.
Job resources, on the other hand, are the tools, support systems, autonomy, and opportunities that help you meet those demands. This could mean having a great manager, clear communication, access to training, or the flexibility to work in a way that works best for you.
When demands are too high and resources too low, burnout is more likely, and job satisfaction plummets. But when the right resources are in place to meet reasonable demands, engagement, performance, and fulfillment increase.
Not All Demands Are Created Equal
One other important thing to note is the difference between hindrance demands and challenge demands.
- Hindrance demands are the kinds of obstacles that get in the way of your success: unclear roles, toxic environments, poor communication, lack of leadership, or personal issues that interfere with your work. These demands are typically demotivating and strongly negatively correlated with job fit and satisfaction.
- Challenge demands, on the other hand, are things like time pressure, learning a new skill, or being tasked with important, meaningful work. These are the kinds of demands most people want to rise to, especially when they believe in what they’re doing, it has a direct impact on their career growth, and they have the resources to succeed.
A job filled with meaningful challenge demands and balanced support is often where we feel most alive and satisfied. Positive challenge can drive engagement, growth, and long-term career alignment.
Is It Time to FLIP Roles at Work?
Still not sure if it’s time to make a change? Jenny Wood, ex-Google executive and author of Wild Courage, has a framework for you to consider: FLIP.
Use the following acronym to ask yourself these questions and answer honestly! Click here to listen to Jenny share her take.
F – Fun – Am I having fun? Am I excited about the challenges we’re working on?
L – Learning – Am I learning new things? Not just incrementally, but big stair step learning (both personally and professionally).
I – Impact – Does my work make an impact on the business?
P – Personal – What is going on in my personal life? Does my work match the lifestyle I want? Will a career change help or hinder my personal life – right now? Is now the right time for myself or my family to change jobs?
The Power of Autonomy and Control
One key resource that consistently boosts work engagement? Autonomy. According to research from Prevue HR, there is a positive correlation between autonomy and engagement at work. When people have more control over how they do their job, when, where, and in what way, they tend to feel more capable, trusted, and motivated.
The reality is, finding the right job isn’t about avoiding stress altogether. In fact, most people don’t want to coast! They want to be challenged in the right ways, with enough support, flexibility, and meaning in their work to make it worthwhile.
If you don’t have the amount of autonomy or challenge you want in your role, it may be worth asking for before you completely throw in the towel on your job (assuming the demands and resources align).
So, Is It the Right Fit?
When evaluating a current role—or looking for a new one—ask yourself:
- What are the primary demands of this job? Are they mostly challenges or hindrances?
- Do I have the resources (support, autonomy, clarity, tools) to meet these demands?
- Am I learning, growing, and doing work that matters to me?
- Do I feel like the demands are energizing or draining?
- Does my work make an impact on the business?
- Does this job align with my current personal responsibilities and desired lifestyle?
Bottom line, you have to weigh the risks and rewards of challenge (or hindrance) demands, learning opportunities, available resources, and most importantly, how your job fits into your personal life and long-term goals. The right job for you isn’t necessarily the easiest job. It’s the one where you’re challenged, supported, and aligned with the mission and with your vision for your life!
Ready to own your career? Consider joining The Force Multiplier Academy! The Force Multiplier Academy provides leadership training for right-hand partners. Through over 40 hours of on-demand course content, live group coaching calls, guided strategic exercises, and 25+ tools and resources you can implement immediately to get results, you’ll leave the Academy ready to increase the effectiveness of your Principal, impact the bottom line, land that promotion or next job, confidently navigate your career, and more. Click here to learn more.
