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The impact of perceived overqualification on employees' innovation behaviour: role of psychological contract breach, psychological distance and employment relationship atmosphere

Jianpeng Fan (Pingdingshan University, Pingdingshan, China)
Jie He (Pingdingshan University, Pingdingshan, China)
Huichuan Dai (Guangdong University of Science and Technology, Dongguan, China)
Yijia Jing (Henan University of Animal Husbandry and Economy, Zhengzhou, China)
Guanghui Shang (Henan University of Animal Husbandry and Economy, Zhengzhou, China)

Leadership & Organization Development Journal

ISSN: 0143-7739

Article publication date: 25 April 2023

Issue publication date: 13 June 2023

780

Abstract

Purpose

Overqualification is a growing concern for employers in many countries. The practice of mismatching employees and positions inevitably leads to an increase in organizational training and management costs. This study can not only further enrich the theoretical achievements in the field of human resource management, but can also provide a reference for enterprise managers on how to effectively stimulate employees' innovative behaviour.

Design/methodology/approach

503 questionnaire responses were analysed using SPSS 24.0 and Mplus 8.0.

Findings

It was concluded that, (1) perceived overqualification is negatively related to employees' innovation behaviour (β = −0.32, p < 0.001); (2) psychological contract breach and psychological distance partially mediate the relationship between perceived overqualification and employees' innovation behaviour. Among them, the mediating effect of psychological contract breach was −0.14 (p < 0.01), and that of psychological distance was −0.12 (p < 0.001); the chain-mediating effect of psychological contract breach and psychological distance was −0.09 (p < 0.01); (3) employment relationship atmosphere played a moderating role in the relationship between perceived overqualification and employees' innovation behaviour (β = 0.04, p < 0.01).

Originality/value

This study verifies the negative impact of perceived overqualification on employee innovation behaviour and reveals the mediating role of psychological factors between the two. It also discusses the moderating effect of employment relationship climate on the relationship between perceived overqualification and employees' innovation behaviour.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the Doctoral Research Foundation of Pingdingshan University (PXY-BSQD-2022041). The grant is about $1,000 for manuscript data collection and language polishing.

Citation

Fan, J., He, J., Dai, H., Jing, Y. and Shang, G. (2023), "The impact of perceived overqualification on employees' innovation behaviour: role of psychological contract breach, psychological distance and employment relationship atmosphere", Leadership & Organization Development Journal, Vol. 44 No. 3, pp. 407-422. https://doi.org/10.1108/LODJ-04-2022-0200

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2023, Emerald Publishing Limited

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