In February, I wrote about the Job-Demands-Resources (JDR) model of work stress. As a reminder, the JDR model says that our collective job demands create stress and strain, which can eventually lead to physical and mental health problems and negative outcomes for our organization. At the same time, our collective job resources inspire motivation, which can lead to positive organizational outcomes, such as productivity, profitability, and employee engagement (see model below).
Job demands could include a difficult co-worker, long work hours, or a tense relationship with your supervisor, while job resources could include a wellness program, adequate annual leave or a trusted relationship with your supervisor.
For some of these demands and resources, we have no control or way to change them. None of us can control Clemson’s state mandated annual leave policy no matter how much we might want to. I mentioned in February that job crafting is something in your control you can do to enhance your job resources.
On the other hand, there is something in your control you can do to make your job demands even more challenging: self-undermining. Self-undermining at work includes not showing up, coming to work late, and having a bad attitude. Let’s say you have a difficult relationship with your supervisor. Then you show up late and fail to turn in some assignments on time. As difficult as it is to have a supervisor who you feel doesn’t like or support you, it’s not going to get any better when you begin to slack off. Now in addition to the tough relationship, you are creating performance issues for yourself—an added job demand that makes your stress at work increase.
One of the reasons we begin these cycles of self-undermining behavior is because we feel stuck when our job demands increase. Instead of figuring out some solutions for the challenging relationship with your supervisor, you might find it simpler to become complacent. But simple now does not mean easier on you overall. Your self-undermining behavior will ultimately come back on you—not on the other person.
When I work with employees who feel that they are the recipient of an unfair evaluation or disciplinary action, I always separate their next steps into two categories. The first category is the performance one. If a supervisor is giving direct feedback on what you need to start or stop doing, it’s in your best interest to start or stop doing those things. If you ignore the specific feedback, your supervisor might decide to take further disciplinary action. A verbal reprimand that feels unfair can quickly become a suspension that impacts your pay and your reputation in the office.
The second category is the justice one. If you feel that an action is unjust or unfair, there are steps to take. For some situations, there are official appeals processes; for others, writing a rebuttal or making your voice heard in a meeting might be your only recourse. The key is that these two categories need to happen at the same time. If you ignore the performance concerns while you fight for justice, you are undermining yourself by creating a bigger mess to clean up. You can fight for justice while also ensuring that you are responding to a supervisor’s performance concerns.
In order to break the cycle of self-undermining, we need to identify what our job demands are, and brainstorm some ways to address, mitigate, or remove them. If you are struggling with a relationship at work, maybe you need some mediation or some help sharing your concerns with the other person. If you are struggling with motivation or getting your job done on time, maybe you need some help with time management and finding purpose in your work. If you are unable to advocate for a pay increase, maybe your supervisor will approve a more flexible weekly schedule. When our job demands rise, we can always combat the process by job crafting and working to increase our job resources in equal measure.
Things are hard right now at home, in the classroom, at work, and around the world. Don’t make things even harder on yourself by undermining your own success and stability.
Bakker, A.B. and Demerouti, E. (2007), “The Job Demands‐Resources model: state of the art”, Journal of Managerial Psychology, Vol. 22 No. 3, pp. 309-328. https://doi.org/10.1108/02683940710733115
Box #1:
What is the Ombuds Office?
The Ombuds Office is a confidential, independent, neutral, and informal space for staff to process concerns, get information, and develop options for how to move forward in a difficult situation. I can provide education, conflict coaching, mediation, and facilitation as well as referrals to other resources across Clemson. If you are unsure how to move forward in any way, I can help you work through it.
Tessa Byer
Phone: 864-656-5353
Email: tbyer@clemson.edu
Address: 135 Old Greenville Hwy, Ste. 203 (Next to Esso!)
*Save the date for upcoming training offered by the Ombuds:*
Introduction to Mediation
September 19, 2025, from 9 a.m. – noon
Virtually only; sign up here:
Don’t Tough It Out: Difficult Situations at Work
October 1, 2025, from 9 a.m. – noon
Location: University Facilities Center; sign up here
Cultivating Resilience
November 3, 2025, from 9-11 a.m.
Location: University Facilities Center; sign up here:
Emotional Intelligence at Work
November 14, 2025, from 9 – 11 a.m.
Virtual; sign up here
