Perceived overqualification and innovative work behavior: a moderated mediation model

Abstract

While prior studies have emphasized that overqualified employees are considered valuable and scarce resources for organizational innovation, there has been insufficient exploration of the process through which these employees utilize their advantageous resources to gain additional new resources and ultimately foster innovative behaviors. This study draws on conservation of resources theory to build a theoretical model that outlines how overqualified employees affect their acquisition of competence-based resource (i.e., role breadth self-efficacy) and subsequent innovative work behavior. Results from a multiwave field study revealed that perceived overqualification is positively associated with employees’ role breadth self-efficacy, which in turn prompts them to engage in innovative work behavior. The positive indirect effect of overqualification on innovative work behavior via role breadth self-efficacy is stronger when overqualified employees perceive a higher (versus lower) level of job autonomy. Overall, this study extends theory by demonstrating how overqualified employees engage in resource acquisition and utilization processes to overcome potential resource depletions and foster innovative work behavior.