This doesn’t make sense! Does illegitimate tasks affect innovative behaviour?

ABSTRACT

Illegitimate tasks in the workplace are known to associate with several attitudinal and behavioural outcomes for employees, including their well-being, motivation, and turnover intention. However, why and when these adverse impacts influence employees’ innovative behaviours have not yet been examined. The current study thus empirically investigates the impact of illegitimate tasks on the innovative behaviours of employees. It also examines the mediating role of work meaninglessness and the moderating impact of passive leadership in these relationships. The research analyses a sample of 145 employee-supervisor dyads in several public sector organisations in Dubai. The results demonstrate that illegitimate tasks indirectly (via work meaninglessness) and negatively influence innovative behaviours. This influence is strengthened when the supervisor/leader is passive. Our results provide more insight into the potential negative influence of illegitimate tasks on innovative behaviours through perceived work meaninglessness and the exacerbating impact of passive leadership on these relationships.

摘要

研究发现，工作场所的不合规工作与员工的态度和行为结果有关，如员工的幸福感、动机和离职意向。然而，他们的负面作用影响员工创新行为的原因和时间尚未得到研究确认。本研究证实了不合规工作对员工创新行为的影响。同时，它还验证了工作无意义的中介作用，以及消极领导在这些关系中的缓和影响。这项研究分析是基于迪拜几个公共部门组织中 145 名员工和主管组合的样本。结果表明，不合规工作间接（通过工作无意义）并消极地影响着创新行为。当主管/领导者处于消极状态时，这种影响会更加明显。我们的研究结果使我们更深入地了解了不合规工作通过工作毫无意义对创新行为的潜在负面影响，以及消极领导对这些关系的加剧影响。

KEYWORDS:

• Illegitimate tasks
• perceived work meaninglessness
• innovative behaviour
• passive leadership

关键词:

• 不合规工作；感知工作无意义；创新行为；消极领导

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).