Job demands, job resources and postdoctoral job satisfaction: An empirical study based on the data from 2020 Nature global postdoctoral survey

Abstract

Postdocs encounter numerous hurdles in terms of their professional survival and academic development, as a result of institutional reform and the prevailing academic environment. These challenges significantly impact their job satisfaction, which in turn plays a crucial role in shaping their scientific research career trajectory. To facilitate the advancement of relevant systems and augment the job satisfaction of postdocs, this study employs the 2020 Nature Global Postdoctoral Survey data to conduct a comprehensive analysis. Utilizing descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and regression analysis, the impact of job characteristic elements on postdoctoral job satisfaction was examined within the theoretical framework of the Job Requirements-Resources (JD-R) model, as well as the mechanisms by which job characteristic elements impact postdoctoral job satisfaction. It was found that job demands and job resources negatively and positively predicted postdoctoral job satisfaction, respectively, with job burnout and job engagement playing a partial mediating role. Job demands can drive postdocs to develop negative coping psychology and limit the motivating effect of job resources on job engagement; job resources can act as a buffer to reduce the probability of postdocs experiencing job burnout as a result of job demands. The aforementioned findings generally support the applicability of the JD-R model to postdocs, theoretically revealing the intrinsic psychological mechanisms by which job characteristics influence postdoctoral job satisfaction and providing theoretical supplements and practical references for postdoctoral training and management.