Racing Against the Clock: The Dual Effect of Time Pressure on Creativity

Employees are increasingly required to produce creative output within limited time in the competitive business environment and facing time pressure has become a pervasive phenomenon in the workplace. Based on Conservation of Resource Theory and Job Demand-Resource model, this study explores the different effects of challenge-hindrance time pressure on employee radical and incremental creativity and the mediating role of thriving at work as well as the moderating role of the perceived organizational support. According to the data of 315 employees, the result showed that the challenge time pressure has a positive effect on employees’ creativity by thriving at work. Moreover, the effect on radical creativity is more significant. The hindrance time pressure has a negative effect on employees’ creativity by thriving at work, and the effect on incremental creativity is less significant. In addition, perceived organizational support moderates the relationship between challenge-hindrance time pressure and thriving at work. Implications of our findings are discussed.