How Job Tenure Weakens the Positive Influence of Education on Creative Performance through Task Performance

Abstract

Researchers indicate that employees with a high level of education tend to have better creative performance. However, few studies have investigated the boundary conditions of this association. The componential model of creativity demonstrates that both task-relevant skills and creativity-relevant skills are indispensable factors of creative performance. Job tenure, which generally hinders employees from acquiring creativity-relevant skills, is regarded as a potential boundary condition. In this study, we investigate how job tenure weakens positive influence of education on creative performance through task performance. Using a sample of 368 employees and 43 leaders in a provincial bank in China, we indeed find that job tenure negatively moderates the indirect relationship between education and creative performance via task performance. Specifically, the positive relationship is weakened when job tenure is high than when it is low. We also discuss the theoretical and practical implications of our study and highlight future research directions.