Examining the Relationship between Workplace Fun and Innovative Behavior among Nurses: The Mediating Effect of Innovation Support and Affective Commitment

Abstract

Aim. This study investigated the role of cultural, organizational, and managerial support, workplace fun, affective commitment, innovative behavior with innovative output, and also the mediating role of innovative behavior in the framework of a causal model. Background. Innovation is the driving force of development in hospitals, and the quality of healthcare is closely related to hospital innovation. Today, nurses with innovative behaviors are the biggest asset of any hospital because they are involved in any improvement and progress. Methods. This descriptive cross‐sectional correlational study was conducted using causal modeling methods, including path analysis and structural equation modeling. Using the proportional stratified sampling method, 321 nurses from Ardabil teaching hospitals were included in the study. Data were collected by standard demographic characteristics, innovative behaviors, innovative support, workplace fun, and affective commitment questionnaires. Partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS‐SEM) was used to test the conceptual model using PLS‐SMART 2 software. Results. Cultural support had a positive and significant effect on innovative behavior by affecting organizational support and then managerial support. In addition, workplace fun had a positive and significant effect on innovative behavior directly and indirectly through the mediating role of affective commitment. Finally, innovative behavior also had a positive and significant effect on nurses’ innovative output. Conclusion. Supervisors and managers can adopt the organizational and managerial support approach to improve the nurses’ innovative behaviors. Workplace fun will also improve nurses’ innovative behaviors and affective commitment, thereby increasing their innovative output. Implications for Nursing Management. By adopting organizational and managerial support for nurses’ innovative behaviors, managers should take measures that promote workplace fun and affective commitment to improve nurses’ innovative output by encouraging innovative behaviors.