Why is pursuing innovative work behaviour challenging? An explanation from the conservation of resources perspective

Although innovative work behaviour (IWB) is becoming a critical management issue because of its organisational benefits, enhancing this behaviour remains challenging. To explain this issue, this study investigates whether and how job stressors (customer incivility and task performance pressure) are associated with individual psychological strains (anxiety and ego depletion) that may challenge IWB. Two quantitative studies were conducted using data collected from frontline employees in securities firms and commercial banks. The findings indicate that customer incivility and task performance pressure increase anxiety and ego depletion, which, in turn, predict a decline in IWB. Furthermore, ego depletion amplifies the impact of anxiety on IWB. By adopting a resource-based perspective, this study explains how both extra-organisational (customer incivility) and intra-organisational stressors (task performance pressure) diminish IWB through individual psychological burdens (anxiety and ego depletion). It thereby contributes to a better understanding of the barriers to, and the psychological mechanisms underlying, IWB. The findings also highlight the managerial challenges of helping employees cope with increasing job stressors and psychological strains in pursuing IWB.