A comparative survey of job characteristics among chefs using large and small‐scale hospital catering systems in the UK

This paper investigates the perceived presence of core job dimensions and motivating potential of the job of chef in 14 UK hospitals using Hackman and Oldham’s job diagnostic survey (1980). The validity of the survey instrument was also assessed using a principal components analysis with orthogonal rotation. Overall, the job diagnostic survey (JDS) was found to be reliable and chefs using large‐scale catering systems tended to be engaged in less challenging work than chefs using traditional cook and serve operations. In addition, the former jobs engendered less motivating potential than those using small‐scale processing and production techniques.