Reducing the Harmful Impact of Work Stress on Creativity? Buffering Model of Available Resources

Abstract

How work stress affects creativity has attracted the attention of both enterprises and scholars. Hindrance work stress and Excessive challenge work stress usually impair creativity. However, how to buffer the impairment of work stress on creativity has not been studied in depth. Based on the Job Demands-Resources Model, this study proposes that available resources of employees can buffer the harmful impact of work stress on creativity. Available resources can buffer the negative impact of work stress by supplementing the depleted resources of motivation, cognition, emotion. Future research should explore other moderators that can buffer the impact of stress on creativity, how to buffer the influence of stress on creativity when multiple resources coexist and the boundary conditions under which available resources can play a buffering role, and finally carry out field study to apply the research results to management practice.