Trait resilience instigates innovative behaviour at work? A cross‐lagged study

Abstract

Being able to deal with change and setbacks at work is a major reason why many people generate, promote and implement new ideas at work, supporting organizations in their strive for success including innovation outcomes. Yet, surprisingly little research has examined the underlying mechanisms through which trait resilience influences innovative behaviour at work. Drawing upon control theory in conjunction with the affect‐as‐information perspective, we theorize why resilience as a core personality trait affects innovative behaviour at work. Performing cross‐lagged analyses on two‐wave data, our analyses demonstrate that resilience positively relates to employees' innovative work behaviour due to increased levels of positive emotions. We conclude that being able to deal with change and setbacks at work generates a powerful pool of emotions that can boost innovative behaviour at work, offering meaningful implications for research on innovation and the dynamics of personality and emotions at work.