When discordant work selves yield workplace creativity: The roles of creative process engagement and relational identification with the supervisor

While research has so far focused on role identity conflict’s adverse consequences at work, we know little about how it may contribute positively to organizational functioning. To address this gap, we present and empirically test a theoretical model that explains how and when employees’ work role identity conflict triggers their workplace creativity in hierarchical organizations. Drawing on the symbolic interactionism perspective of identity theory, we hypothesize that creative process engagement mediates the relationship between work role identity conflict and workplace creativity. We further suggest that this mediation effect is stronger when employees have high levels of relational identification with their supervisors. We test our hypotheses via a multi‐source dataset from employees and their direct supervisors. We discuss how unveiling mechanisms behind the constructive side of work role identity conflict inform theory and practice. Practitioner points When employees perceive that their multiple work roles are fundamentally in conflict with one another they enter a problem‐solving mode to reconcile these conflicts. It is crucial for organizations to ensure that employees feel identified with their supervisors so that when they attempt to generate ideas to improve the workplace, the ideas they come up with will indeed be creative.