Unveiling the job characteristics-creativity rapport through the bridge of thriving: a self-determination perspective from the Chinese hospitality sector

The study addresses how specific job characteristics—task variety (TV) and skill variety (SV)—promote employees’ thriving at work (a joint experience of learning and vitality) and, in turn, foster creativity. Drawing on self-determination theory (SDT), the authors argue that when employees’ basic psychological needs (autonomy, competence, relatedness) are satisfied through motivating job designs, intrinsic motivation is enhanced, leading to higher vitality and learning. Thriving is posited as a mechanism translating enriched job characteristics into creativity, defined as the development of novel ideas for products, practices, services, or procedures. The study also examines managerial coaching as a boundary condition that may strengthen the effects of TV and SV on thriving. Contributions include: testing TV and SV as antecedents of thriving; linking thriving to creativity; examining thriving as a mediator between job characteristics and creativity; testing managerial coaching as a moderator; and conducting the investigation in the Chinese hospitality sector during COVID-19, addressing calls to explore drivers and outcomes of thriving.

The Literature and hypotheses section builds on SDT and the socially-embedded model of thriving to propose the following: (1) Task variety and thriving: Task variety (performing different tasks within a job) enriches job meaning and motivation, opposes stagnation, and offers ongoing learning opportunities that satisfy psychological needs and promote thriving (H1: Task variety is positively related to thriving at work). (2) Skill variety and thriving: Skill variety (requiring different skills to perform job tasks) challenges and motivates employees, fulfilling competence needs, promoting engagement and learning, and thereby enabling thriving (H2: Skill variety has a positive influence on thriving). (3) Thriving and creativity: Thriving (vitality and learning) equips employees with energy and knowledge to generate novel ideas and improves problem-solving effectiveness; motivation (per SDT) underpins creativity (H3: Thriving is positively related to creativity). (4) Mediating role of thriving: Motivational job characteristics (TV, SV) boost intrinsic motivation and need satisfaction, leading to thriving, which then facilitates creativity via enhanced knowledge, competencies, and energetic engagement (H4: Thriving mediates the positive relation between (a) task variety (b) skill variety and creativity). (5) Moderating role of managerial coaching: Managerial coaching provides feedback, guidance, and learning opportunities that help employees handle varied tasks and acquire new skills, strengthening the positive effects of TV and SV on thriving (H5: Managerial coaching moderates the relationship between (a) task variety (b) skill variety and thriving). A review table summarizes key thriving literature, highlighting contextual factors as antecedents and various performance and well-being outcomes.

Design and setting: Quantitative, causal survey with minimal researcher interference in a non-contrived setting. Cross-sectional dyadic design with two waves (time-lagged) and a 1-month gap to mitigate common method bias. Context: Medium to high-ranked hotels in China; data collected during COVID-19 preventive measures in 2022. Sample and procedures: Full-time frontline hotel employees paired with their immediate supervisors. Simple random sampling via hotel HR departments. Wave 1 (Feb 2022): 380 employee questionnaires distributed measuring task variety (TV), skill variety (SV), thriving at work (TAW), and managerial coaching (MC); 339 usable returns. Wave 2 (Mar 2022): Supervisors rated subordinates’ creativity (CRE). Final matched dyads: 313 (response rate 82.37%), sampling error ±5.53% at 95% confidence. Supervisors typically oversaw 7–15 employees. Participants worked in customer service, waiting, housekeeping, food handling, event/tour management, reception, etc. Measures: - Task variety (4 items; Morgeson & Humphrey, 2006), α=0.847. - Skill variety (4 items; Morgeson & Humphrey, 2006), α=0.837. - Thriving at work (10 items; Porath et al., 2012; includes reverse-scored learning/energy items), α=0.918. - Managerial coaching (8 items; Wang, 2013), α=0.916. - Creativity (supervisor-rated, 4 items; Farmer et al., 2003), α=0.828. Control variables: Gender (43.1% male), age brackets (18–25: 25.9%; 26–33: 31%; 34–41: 22%; 42–49: 10.9%; ≥50: 10.2%), education (pre–high school: 8.6%; high school: 32.6%; college: 38.7%; bachelor: 15%; master’s: 5.1%), tenure (1–5 years: 42.5%; 6–10: 31%; 11–15: 16%; 16–20: 6.4%; ≥21: 4.2%). Analysis: - Descriptives and correlations. - Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) for validity and reliability (AMOS). - Structural Equation Modeling (SEM; AMOS) for direct and mediating effects (H1–H4). - PROCESS macro Model 1 with 5,000 bootstrap samples for moderation (H5). - Multicollinearity assessed via VIF (1.168–1.480, acceptable). Model fit: Measurement model (5-factor): χ2=648.940, df=395, χ2/df=1.643, SRMR=0.043, TLI=0.944, CFI=0.949, RMSEA=0.045. Reliability/validity: CR=0.828–0.918 (>0.70), AVE=0.531–0.583 (>0.50), Cronbach’s α=0.828–0.918 (>0.70), discriminant validity supported (square root AVE > inter-construct correlations; correlations <0.85). Mediation model fit: χ2=422.385, df=205, χ2/df=2.060, SRMR=0.050, TLI=0.930, CFI=0.938, RMSEA=0.058.

- Correlations: Task variety (TV) positively related to thriving at work (TAW) r=0.408, p<0.01; Skill variety (SV) positively related to TAW r=0.490, p<0.01; Thriving positively related to creativity (CRE) r=0.450, p<0.01; Managerial coaching (MC) positively related to TAW r=0.324, p<0.01. - Direct effects (SEM): TV→TAW β=0.244, p<0.01 (H1 supported); SV→TAW β=0.431, p<0.01 (H2 supported; SV stronger than TV); TAW→CRE β=0.531, p<0.001 (H3 supported). - Indirect (mediation via thriving; 5,000 bootstraps, 95% CI): TV→TAW→CRE indirect β=0.130, p<0.01, CI [0.038, 0.235] (H4a supported); SV→TAW→CRE indirect β=0.229, p<0.001, CI [0.131, 0.342] (H4b supported). - Moderation (PROCESS Model 1; 5,000 bootstraps, 95% CI): MC×TV→TAW β=0.190, p<0.001, CI [0.090, 0.290] (H5a supported); MC×SV→TAW β=0.120, p<0.01, CI [0.034, 0.207] (H5b supported). Simple slopes indicated stronger positive TV→TAW and SV→TAW relationships at high levels of managerial coaching; effects were insignificant at low MC levels. - Measurement quality: CFA indicated good fit; reliability and validity thresholds met (CR, AVE, α). - Overall: Job characteristics (TV, SV) enhance thriving, which in turn boosts creativity; managerial coaching strengthens the link between job characteristics and thriving.

Findings substantiate the SDT-based proposition that motivational job characteristics satisfy basic psychological needs, elevating intrinsic motivation and enabling employees to feel vital and to learn (thriving). In the Chinese hospitality context, both task variety and skill variety increased thriving, with skill variety exerting a stronger effect. Thriving, in turn, substantially enhanced supervisor-rated creativity, confirming it as a key psychological mechanism translating enriched work design into creative performance. Managerial coaching emerged as a crucial boundary condition: by providing guidance, feedback, and learning opportunities, coaching amplified the positive effects of TV and SV on thriving, particularly at higher coaching levels. These results align with the socially-embedded model of thriving, reinforcing that contextual resources and supportive leadership facilitate learning and vitality, which yield creative behaviors. Practically, the study emphasizes designing jobs with varied tasks and required skills while fostering a coaching culture to unlock thriving and creativity among frontline service employees.

Grounded in self-determination theory, the study concludes that employees faced with varied tasks and opportunities to acquire diverse skills experience greater motivation and thriving, which ultimately enhances creative performance. Managerial coaching strengthens the positive effects of task and skill variety on thriving. The work offers actionable insights for hospitality managers on how to design roles and provide coaching to boost thriving and creativity, underscoring that job characteristics drive creative outcomes via thriving in this sector.

- Design: Cross-sectional, two-wave time-lagged design limits causal inference; longitudinal designs are recommended. - Generalizability: Conducted in Chinese hospitality; results may differ across cultures and industries; testing in Western contexts and other sectors (e.g., telecom, banking, insurance, construction) is suggested. - Outcome measurement: Creativity was supervisor-rated; managers may not fully observe creative behaviors; incorporating customer feedback or midterm appraisals could improve accuracy. - Level of analysis: Individual-level focus; future work could examine team-level constructs (team creativity, collective thriving, empowerment, proactivity). - Context: Data collected during COVID-19; post-pandemic replication is advised to examine potential differences in thriving and creativity under reduced anxiety and uncertainty.