job characteristics: the content and nature of job tasks themselves (5 van job characteristics theory):

1. skill variety: the number of different skills necessary to do a job
2. task identity: whether or not an employee does an entire job or a piece of a job
3. task significance: the impact a job has on other people
4. autonomy: the freedom employees have to do their jobs as they see fit
   
5. task feedback: the extent to which it is obvious to employees that they are doing their jobs correctly