Fostering innovative behaviours of public sector employees: the potency of innovation-based HR practices, risk propensity and error tolerance

Abstract

PurposeAlthough the innovative behaviour of public employees is critical for the creation of public value and meeting of public interests, the authors are uncertain about the role of the human resource (HR) system in affecting individual behaviour as past studies tended to discuss innovation at the organisational level of analysis. Based on corporate human resource management (HRM) literature, the authors draw from the ability-motivation-opportunity (AMO) model to examine the influence of innovation-based HR practices on work-related risk propensity and innovative behaviour and the moderating role of perceived error tolerance of public sector organisations.Design/methodology/approachDyadic data were collected from supervisors and their subordinates in various public sector organisations in the UAE. The authors collected valid responses from 100 managers and 200 employees.FindingsThis study's findings demonstrate that the HR system in the public sector shapes employees' behaviour at the individual level of analysis, consistent with the corporate HRM literature. The authors reveal that innovation-based HR practices significantly promote employees' innovative work behaviour because they trigger their inclination and disposition to take risks. Furthermore, the authors provide evidence that such risk-taking propensity at work is heightened under the conditions of a high level of error tolerance by the organisational management.Practical implicationsThis study's findings point out the importance of implementing innovation-based HR practices, such as recruitment, reward and training, to drive public sector employees' innovative work behaviour as they could galvanise their risk-taking propensity and, subsequently, innovative behaviour. Public sector managers also need to develop an innovation culture tolerant toward employees' mistakes to further foster employees' work innovativeness. Policy wise, this study's findings could be integrated into the national innovation strategy to drive the national growth in the UAE.Originality/valueThis study sheds light on the drivers behind innovative behaviour among public employees, which is a less researched area, especially in a non-Western context.

Fluid workforce management in the health sector: navigating the changing face of workforces and their management

“…The pressure to deliver more efficient services to the public, as well as the emergence of new forms of work, demands that public sector organizations rethink their organizational processes, including those related to HRM, to continue creating public value (AlMunthiri et al, 2023). Our paper makes a significant contribution to the scholarly HRM literature in the public health sector, which is a significantly under-researched area compared to corporate HRM (Brunetto and Beattie, 2020).…”

“…The pressure to deliver more efficient services to the public, as well as the emergence of new forms of work, demands that public sector organizations rethink their organizational processes, including those related to HRM, to continue creating public value (AlMunthiri et al. , 2023).…”

“…Fourthly, the paper contributes to the discussions on the changing nature of public sector employment, which traditionally had been perceived as a job for life (Brunetto and Beattie, 2020). It also reveals HRM practices that can reduce/drive fluid employees’ well-being, engagement, and satisfaction (AlMunthiri et al. , 2023) in the public sector, which need to be aligned to ensure their decent future in work.…”