Discussion
The model tests show convincing support for a strong relationship between employee
creative environment perceptions and willingness to leave. This inference is especially
noteworthy since in practical terms, turnover intentions decreased by 7.7 per cent with
every 10 per cent increase in positive mental impressions of the creative context. In
other words, the analysis bears out the research hypothesis that worker perceptions of
the creative environment will be significantly related to turnover intentions. Stated in
terms of the research model (Figure 1) and its constructs, workers who have creativity
support (for example, managerial initiated rewards for improved procedures),
creativity work characteristics (i.e. flexible job descriptions and available training
opportunities, etc.), and a low to zero presence of creativity blocks (for instance,
unreasonable time deadlines and assignment loads), will be more likely to stay and less
likely to leave. Furthermore, model evaluation strongly suggests that these findings
are relevant for non-creative professional employees (or workers engaged in only
garden variety creativity). These research procedures and results have important
implications for both theory and practice which will be discussed in this section.
Our investigation responded to previous recommendations by scholars for better
understanding about the link between employee innovation predictors and tangible
outcomes such as turnover. Such knowledge may ultimately further the development
of organizational initiatives to optimize desirable results, particularly in knowledge
workplaces where jobs are more organic and less receptive to design changes (Egan,
2005; Zhou and Shalley, 2003). In addition, since the CEP evaluates cognitive processes
and is easy to administer, its feedback can be used to develop attitude-oriented
intervention. These steps can then be introduced in the workplace at relatively early
points in time, preempting barriers to creative output and retention.
Equally important, this study has strong ramifications for leadership training and
development that include yet extend beyond job design practices. According to
Amabile’s Component Theory of Creativity, the three employee focal points – skills,
motivation, and ability to develop creative mental models – can be significantly
influenced by leader behaviors such as encouragement and support for new idea
generation and development. Also, leaders can actively champion the presence of
workplace environments that nurture creative processes (Amabile, 1998).