Apply Your Strengths to Enjoy Flow at Work: A Diary Study on the Relationship Between Strengths Use and Innovative Behavior

Tao Liu, Shaokai Lu, Jianhong Ma and Yanhui Mao ()
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Tao Liu: Southwest Jiaotong University
Shaokai Lu: Southwest Jiaotong University
Jianhong Ma: Zhejiang University
Yanhui Mao: Southwest Jiaotong University

Journal of Happiness Studies, 2023, vol. 24, issue 8, No 11, 2647-2667

Abstract: Abstract Strengths use at work has a significant positive impact on employees’ job performance. However, little research has been done on the effect of strengths use on performance beyond routine tasks, such as innovative behavior. In this daily diary study, we examined the relationship between daily strengths use and daily innovative behavior, building on the broaden-and-build theoretical framework. We proposed a moderated mediation model where the link between one’s daily strengths use and daily innovative behavior is mediated by daily flow at work and moderated by daily gratitude toward the organization (GTO). We collected daily data from 204 full-time employees over a period of three consecutive weeks, resulting in a total of 3060 data entries. Our results supported the hypothetical model, indicating that employees who utilized their daily strengths more at work are more likely to engage in daily innovative behavior. Furthermore, increased daily strengths use is associated with a stronger sense of flow at work, which further fosters daily innovative behavior. We also found that the relationship between daily strengths use and daily flow is intensified for employees with a higher daily GTO level at work. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.

Keywords: Strengths use; Innovative behavior; Flow; Gratitude toward the organization; Diary study (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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DOI: 10.1007/s10902-023-00696-6

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