Job tenure: A shield against the health impairment process of job demands-resources theory
Published:
Jul 23, 2026
Keywords:
job demands-resources theory, job tenure, exhaustion, job performance, turnover intentions
Abstract
According to the health impairment process of job demands-resources (JD-R) theory, job demands deplete employees’ energy, leading to high exhaustion. This, in turn, results in reduced job performance and negative work attitudes (e.g., turnover intentions). In this study, we draw on recent developments in JD-R theory, which emphasize that -next to job and personal resources- other types of resources (e.g., conditions) also help employees cope with job demands thus, buffering their unfavorable consequences. We propose that job tenure can be such a resource. Although job tenure has been recognized as a key human capital resource, empirical evidence on its role is still scarce. Hence, we hypothesize that increases in job demands (i.e., workload, work-home interference, qualitative and quantitative job insecurity) over time relate to higher exhaustion and consequently, to lower job performance and higher turnover intentions, and that job tenure buffers these indirect effects. A total of 195 employees working in Greece participated in both measurement waves across an interval of approximately one year [Time 1 (T1): n = 806; Time 2 (T2): n = 485]. As expected, increases in workload/ work-home interference/ qualitative job insecurity related negatively to job performance at T2 and positively to turnover intentions at T2 via increased exhaustion at T2, but only for employees with lower job tenure. These results contribute to JD-R theory by emphasizing the critical role of job tenure as a resource that helps employees effectively manage job demands and protect themselves from their unfavorable consequences. Findings are also important for organizational practice because they suggest that interventions aimed at optimizing the levels of job demands are particularly relevant for less experienced employees.
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Xanthopoulou, D., Demerouti, E., Nikolaou , I., & Vakola, M. (2026). Job tenure: A shield against the health impairment process of job demands-resources theory. Psychology: The Journal of the Hellenic Psychological Society, 31(2), 128–147. https://doi.org/10.12681/psy_hps.46277
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