Managing Innovation and Creativity in Hybrid Work Organizations: Challenges and Strategic Solutions

Abstract

Hybrid working is transforming workplaces, communication, and innovation practices in industries. Hybrid working is changing business organization, communication and innovation in industries. The implications of hybrid working on innovation and creativity are unclear, but it does provide flexibility, autonomy, and access to geographically dispersed talent. While the greater autonomy and digital connectivity can spur individual creativity, the less personal interaction and informal knowledge sharing can constrain collective innovation. This study investigates the impact of a hybrid working environment on innovation performance and explores how to improve creativity in a hybrid environment strategically.
The research, based on the Componential Theory of Creativity, Knowledge Based View of the Firm, and Dynamic Capabilities Theory, suggests a framework that combines the four factors – leadership support, effectiveness of digital collaboration, psychological safety, and knowledge sharing – into one. The research design used is a sequential explanatory mixed-method. The quantitative phase is a structured survey that was administered to employees and managers in the hybrid organizations in order to test hypothesized relationships through regression and structural equation modelling. The qualitative phase involves in-depth interviews with innovation leaders using a semi-structured approach to gain insights into the context of challenges and strategic approaches. The objectives of the study are to detect the major obstacles to creativity in hybrid environments and to create a Hybrid Innovation Management Framework (HIMF) that provides practical and relevant proposals to keep innovation performance. The study’s statistical analysis and managerial insights add value to the field of Innovation Management and offer practical lessons for organisations in the midst of the complexities of hybrid working systems.