Linking Innovative Work Behaviour to Career Satisfaction: Engagement, Flexibility, and Perspectives from Male and Female Service Employees

Motivated by social role and conservation of resources theories, we examine the link between innovative work behaviour and employee career satisfaction, and how workplace flexibility and work-related engagement behaviour relate to innovative work behaviour, comparing samples of male and female service sector employees. We apply a quantitative approach involving a self-administered cross-sectional survey of 176 female and 133 male employees in the Kuwaiti services sector. Gathered survey data was analysed with the aid of partial least squares structural equation modelling and involved using the SmartPLS software. From the analysis, our study finds a positive and significant relationship for work flexibility and engagement behaviour with respect to innovative work behaviour, and a stronger relationship between work flexibility and work-related engagement behaviour. Our results also suggest a positive and significant link between creativity-based work behaviour and career satisfaction for female employees, and between implementation-based work behaviour and career satisfaction for male employees. Our research is original in shedding light on the salient differences that exist between the innovative work behaviour of male and female employees with regard to career satisfaction. Theoretically, we advance a flexibility-engagement-innovativeness-satisfaction relationship that promotes career satisfaction, and diversity/inclusivity in workplaces, while managerially, our study recommends continuous reframing and use of innovative work behaviour-based incentives and talent optimisation policies.