Career calling and employee innovative behavior: the role of role breadth self-efficacy and supervisor innovation support

Purpose This study aims to identify the mechanism by which individual employees’ career calling shapes their innovative behavior and the moderating role of supervisor innovation support in this relationship. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from 342 employees and 73 supervisors working in ten Chinese firms. The multilevel path models and hypotheses were tested via Mplus 8.3 software. Findings Empirical findings reveal that employees’ career calling promotes their innovative behavior via role breadth self-efficacy, particularly when they receive high levels of supervisor innovation support. Practical implications The findings of this study suggest that career calling can be used as a crucial indicator of staff recruitment in innovative organizations and that supervisors should create supportive contexts for innovative talent. Originality/value This research reveals the individual psychological mechanisms through which career calling encourages innovative behavior and identifies the boundary conditions that affect the relationship between career calling and innovative behavior.