How and when high-involvement work practices influence employee innovative behavior

Purpose Based on social information processing (SIP) theory, this study explores the cross-level effect of high-involvement work practices (HIWPs) on employee innovative behavior by studying the mediating role of self-reflection/rumination and the moderating role of transactive memory system (TMS). Design/methodology/approach This study collects data from 452 employees and their direct supervisors in 94 work units, and tests a cross-level moderated mediation model using multilevel path analysis. Findings The results suggest that HIWPs significantly contribute to employee innovative behavior. Both self-reflection and self-rumination mediate the above relationship. TMS not only positively moderates the relationship between HIWPs and self-reflection, but also reinforces the linkage of HIWPs. →self-reflection→employee innovative behavior. Furthermore, TMS negatively moderates the relationship between HIWPs and self-rumination, and attenuates the mediating effect of self-rumination. Practical implications The study suggests that enterprises should invest more in promoting HIWPs and TMS in the workplace. Furthermore, managers should provide employees training programs to enhance their self-reflection, as well as lower self-rumination, in order to facilitate employee innovative behavior. Originality/value This research identifies self-reflection and self-rumination as key mediators that link HIWPs to employee innovative behavior and reveals the moderating role of TMS in the process.