Leading the innovation: role of employee engagement as a mediator relating supervisor’s practices and employee’s innovative behaviour

Purpose Business environment, which is described by being volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous, forces organisations to innovate their products, processes and services to stay competitive. Employees’ innovative behaviours play a critical role in enhancing business environment. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the impact of supervisor’s practices on employee’s innovative behaviour and the mediating role of employee engagement on the relationship. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative research design was used. Data is collected from 163 employees from Ministry of Education in Oman by using an online questionnaire. SmartPLS-based structural equation modelling and process macro by Hayes are used for data analysis. Findings Results revealed significant relationships between supervisor’s practices (recognition, empowerment and development), employee engagement and innovative behaviour. It also revealed a significant relationship between supervisor’s practices (recognition, empowerment and development) and employee engagement. Furthermore, the results supported the hypotheses that supervisor’s practices affect innovative behaviour through employee engagement. Originality/value Although the literature reveals that supervisor’s practices foster innovative behaviour, the mediating role of employee engagement has rarely been empirically investigated. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper is one of the first papers that asserts the importance of employee engagement in mediating the relationship between supervisor’s practices and employee innovative behaviour. It also investigates a hybrid of organisational (supervisor’s practices) and individual level factors (employee’s engagement) in predicting innovative behaviours. It contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of the ways to achieve a business strategy of innovation.