Workplace spirituality and innovative work behavior: the role of employee flourishing and workplace satisfaction

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to explore the role of employee flourishing as a mechanism to explain the relationship between workplace spirituality and employees' innovative work behavior (IWB). Furthermore, this study investigates how the relationship between workplace spirituality and innovative behavior is moderated by employees' perceived workplace satisfaction.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on structural equation modeling and hierarchical regression analysis, we conducted a cross-sectional survey of 236 millennial workers in China's service and manufacturing industries.

Findings

The research findings confirmed that workplace spirituality positively predicted the innovative behavior of employees; furthermore, employee flourishing and workplace satisfaction mediated and moderated the relationship between workplace spirituality and employee innovation, respectively.

Practical implications

This study's findings suggest that workplace spirituality unlocks employees' innovative behavior through a heightened sense of flourishing and enhanced sense of workplace satisfaction. Organizations are advised to foster a climate conducive of workplace spirituality by developing mutually aligned values. Moreover, organizations are advised to train leaders on workplace spirituality dimensions and foster workplace practices that facilitate self-reflection, job crafting and team building, as a means of broadening employees' emotional states and workplace satisfaction.

Originality/value

Few studies have examined the mechanisms that shape employees' innovative behavior through workplace spirituality. This study fills several research gaps by extending the theoretical implications of workplace spirituality and employee flourishing, as demonstrated by the multi-faceted role these variables play in motivating employees' innovative behavior among Chinese millennials. Additionally, this study demonstrates that higher levels of workplace satisfaction contribute to higher levels of innovative behavior.

Citation

Hunsaker, W.D. and Ding, W. (2022), "Workplace spirituality and innovative work behavior: the role of employee flourishing and workplace satisfaction", Employee Relations, Vol. 44 No. 6, pp. 1355-1371. https://doi.org/10.1108/ER-01-2021-0032