Impact of Diversity & Inclusion Human Resource Practice on Employees’ Innovative Behavior: The Effect of Thriving at Work and Shared Leadership

Abstract

While the heterogeneous knowledge of a diverse workforce sparks innovation, it also poses many management challenges. Therefore, human resource practices that seek unity while embracing diversity have become a hot topic in both academia and industry. Based on the conservation of resources theory, this study defines the components of diversity & inclusion human resource practice (DI-HRP), uncovers the mechanism by which it influences employees’ innovative behavior through thriving at work, and examines the moderating role of shared leadership. Through multi-point tracking and hierarchical multiple regression analysis of 461 valid samples from 37 companies, this study finds that (1) DI-HRP positively influences employees’ innovative behavior; (2) thriving at work mediates the relationship between DI-HRP and employees’ innovative behavior; and (3) shared leadership positively moderates both the direct impact of DI-HRP on thriving at work and employees’ innovative behavior, as well as the indirect effect via thriving at work.

Keywords

diversity & inclusion human resource practice (DI-HRP) / employees’ innovative behavior / thriving at work / shared leadership

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

2024 Higher Education Press