Abstract:
Employee creativity is imperative in pursuing organizational aspirations in a
dynamic business environment. Consequently, scholars and practitioners
continuously investigate the avenues of augmenting creativity of employees.
Creativity is defined as the generation of both novel and useful ideas by individuals.
Organizational studies have long recognized that interpersonal relationships,
frequent face to face contacts, interactions, mutual trust, support and reciprocity
are the important determinants of individual creativity. However, with the
development of information technology many organizations have begun to
implement teleworking as an alternative job design which enable employees to
carry out job activities at a distant location. Intriguing the curiosity, a recent study
has found a positive relationship between telework and individual creativity
suggesting the distinct benefits associated with reduced interactions in enhancing
creativity. Though this piece of evidence provides basic insight about telework and
creativity relationship, how teleworking impacts on the individual creativity
remains unanswered. Addressing this gap and based on the insights of Identity
Theory, this study examined the effect of telework on the novelty and usefulness
dimensions of creativity through personal and social identity. Being in positivist
paradigm and followed by deductive reasoning approach, the researchers collected
data through a questionnaire survey. The sample was comprised of 246
professional employees who engaged in telework in software development
companies in Sri Lanka. We conducted a multi mediator analysis by using Structural
Equation Modelling (SEM) and PROCESS macro. This study found two important
results. First, extent of telework had a positive effect on personal identity which in
turn had a positive impact on novelty dimension of creativity. Second, extent of
telework had a negative effect on usefulness dimension of creativity as a result of
reduced team identity. The present research adds new knowledge to the existing
literature by unearthing the mechanisms through which telework impacts on
individual creativity. In addition, the present study has important implications for
the practitioners. The study informs that teleworking is a strategy to enhance
personal identity which is in turn important in developing novel ideas. Also, the
finding of teleworking reduces the usefulness dimension of creativity suggesting the
importance of working in collocated context in order to enhance the knowledge
sharing and representation in the organization. In summary, these findings imply
the importance of maintaining the balance in between working at collocated context
and teleworking to foster both personal and team identities that will enhance the
overall creativity.
