Navigating the Diverse Workplace: How Network Crafting Boosts Performance and Work-Family Facilitation

The current study draws on the Job Demands-Resources theory and the Work-Home Resources model to investigate positive affect as a key mechanism through which network crafting influences work-related outcomes (e.g., creativity, task performance) and how this influence spills over into the home domain (e.g., work-to-family facilitation). We further argue that these effects are particularly pronounced in diverse work environments. In Study 1, we used a multi-wave, multi-source design (N = 179) employing moderated mediation analysis, which confirmed our hypotheses by demonstrating the mediating role of positive affect and the moderating influence of workgroup diversity. In Study 2, a daily diary study (N = 151) over three consecutive working days revealed that daily network crafting was positively related to daily positive affect, which persisted into the following day, sustaining both work (task performance) and non-work (work-family facilitation) outcomes. Overall, the findings provide robust evidence that employees who engage in network crafting behaviors experience heightened positive affect, particularly in diverse work environments. This increased positive effect leads to improved employee outcomes, with benefits that extend beyond the immediate workday.