Beyond Job Descriptions

Why role crafting boosts satisfaction and performance

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

Most job descriptions are written before anyone has actually done the job. They outline responsibilities, expectations, and qualifications — but often miss the messy reality of how work gets done and evolves. Over time, these documents become outdated, especially as roles shift, teams grow, and individual strengths emerge.

That’s where role crafting comes in.

Role crafting is the process of reshaping a job to better align with an individual’s strengths, interests, and values while still meeting business needs. It’s not about rewriting the job title. It’s about expanding or shifting the role in ways that increase both meaning and effectiveness.

Studies show that employees who engage in role crafting report higher engagement, stronger performance, and lower burnout (Wrzesniewski & Dutton, 2001). It gives people a sense of ownership and helps them connect their work to what they care about. But it also helps teams. When done well, role crafting can surface hidden skills, fill capability gaps, and reduce friction around unclear responsibilities.

Not one job — but a constellation of tasks

The truth is, no one does just what their job description says. Most roles are a mix of formal responsibilities and informal contributions. Someone may be the “project manager” but also the de facto team therapist, connector, or coach. These informal roles are rarely acknowledged but often critical to team success.

Companies that embrace role crafting make space for people to bring these shadow roles into the light — and to shape them with intention. This doesn’t mean everyone gets to do only what they like. It means they get to shape how they work and lean into areas where they’re most effective.

At Atlassian, managers are encouraged to have “job fit” conversations quarterly. These check-ins go beyond performance to explore energy levels, interests, and possible shifts. This has helped the company retain high performers during periods of change, especially when roles needed to flex or scale quickly. It also helps normalize the idea that jobs should evolve.

Role clarity and flexibility are not opposites

Some leaders worry that role crafting will lead to chaos or duplication. But research suggests the opposite. When people shape their roles in collaboration with managers and peers, clarity actually improves. That’s because responsibilities are surfaced and negotiated, not assumed.

At Adobe, a “job architecture” framework helps teams see what skills and responsibilities are formally attached to roles. But employees are also encouraged to experiment with “stretch roles” or pilot new initiatives within defined boundaries. This combination of structure and permission has helped the company stay adaptive without losing focus.

Crafting works best when it is supported by strong team rituals like role maps, decision rights, or shared charters that help teammates understand who does what and why. Without that, role evolution can feel personal or political. With it, it becomes a collaborative tool for growth.

Signals that a role needs crafting

• The person is high-performing but bored

• Key skills are going unused

• Other team members are confused about who owns what

• A new business need doesn’t match any existing title

• There’s friction or overlap between similar roles

These are signs that the formal structure no longer matches the lived experience of the job. Instead of solving the mismatch with a new hire or title change, it may be more effective to co-design a version of the role that better reflects reality.

Making it practical

Here’s how to support role crafting without losing alignment:

• Start with a map: Ask employees to sketch how they spend their time, what gives them energy, and where they feel underused. Compare this to the formal job description.

• Check for gaps: Look for tasks that are no longer essential, or skills going untapped.

• Design with the team: Role crafting should never happen in isolation. Peer input and team awareness are essential to avoid overlap or confusion.

• Document changes: Update job expectations or workflows so the evolution is visible and supported.

Role crafting is not about customizing jobs to individual whims. It’s about recognizing that static job descriptions often fail to capture the dynamic nature of real work. When people are trusted to shape their roles — and when managers are trained to support that process, the result is often stronger performance, greater retention, and more resilient teams.

References

• Wrzesniewski, A., & Dutton, J. (2001). "Crafting a Job: Revisioning Employees as Active Crafters of Their Work." Academy of Management Review, 26(2), 179–201.

• Atlassian. (2022). “Performance Reviews Reimagined.”

• Adobe. (2023). “Talent Development and Job Architecture Overview.”