Collaborating to improve workplace innovation research, practice and policy

Purpose This article examines the contribution, findings and impact of workplace innovation research designed to support employers to invest in job quality and enabling HR practices to simultaneously improve performance innovation and productivity. The research was co-created with a collaborative scholar-practitioner-policymaker network whose establishment, operation and engagement maximised policy and practice impact. Design/methodology/approach The research utilised mixed methods – interviews, workplace surveys and case studies – generating extensive multi-stakeholder qualitative data from managerial respondents in 40 organisations and quantitative data from over 2000 employees and managers. Findings Research findings suggest that adoption and configuration of workplace practices matter in delivering innovation and performance. Discretionary performance is not only supported by employees engaged in good jobs but also requires scope to deliver beyond required performance, highlighting the role of job design. Discretionary innovation performance relies heavily on opportunity structures at individual, team and organisation level. Findings on the collaborative network and maximising impact highlight the importance of shared purpose, identifying key people and partnerships, shared principles and collaborative ways of working, alongside the need for pragmatism and perseverance. Originality/value The research delivers conceptual advance through a critical conceptualisation of workplace innovation adapted from Ability-Motivation-Opportunity and mutual gains theory; methodological advance through co-creation of the research with stakeholders and the development of a bespoke workplace innovation survey and empirical advance through the generation of a unique workplace dataset. The research delivered – as intended – demonstrable impact in workplace practice and in policy to support workplace innovation.