Complementary effects of high-performance work systems and temporal leadership on employee creativity: a social embeddedness perspective of thriving

Abstract

Studies on how high-performance work systems (HPWS) enhance employee creativity are primarily based on relationship- and motivation-related theories, while some scholars have argued that HPWS may promote performance at the expense of employee well-being. Based primarily on a social embeddedness framework of thriving, this study introduces the human dimension of the sustainability perspective and investigates the indirect effect of HPWS on creativity through evidence of employees' thriving at work. We further explore the moderating role of temporal leadership in the relationship between HPWS and thriving. Hypotheses are tested using multi-wave, multi-source data from 235 employees and their direct supervisors. The contribution of this study lies in explaining how employee creativity is triggered by HPWS and how temporal leadership complements HPWS.