Job demands and job resources in a lean company: The influence on employee well-being

This study aims at investigating the effect of lean-related work aspects on employee well-being. Based on the job demands-resources theory, we propose that soft lean practices (SLP), acting as job resources, and negative lean-related job characteristics, acting as job demands (JD), interact each other in affecting employee work engagement and exhaustion. Data from 147 shop-floor workers from a multinational manufacturer supports SLP positive effect on engagement and JD negative effect on exhaustion. Moreover, there is evidence of a significative interaction supporting that SLP may reduce JD negative effect on exhaustion, and that JD may enhance SLP effect on engagement.