CHALLENGE–HINDRANCE STRESSORS AND EMPLOYEE INNOVATION: DOES PERFORMANCE PRESSURE MAKE A DIFFERENCE?

Employee innovation is widely recognized as a critical driver of organizational competitiveness and long-term performance. However, employees often face various work-related stressors that shape their ability and willingness to engage in innovative behavior. Drawing on the challenge–hindrance stressor framework, this paper examines how different types of stressors influence employee innovation and explores whether performance pressure plays a differentiating role in this relationship. Challenge stressors, such as workload and responsibility, are generally associated with learning and growth, whereas hindrance stressors, such as role ambiguity and organizational politics, tend to obstruct performance and well-being. This paper argues that performance pressure can amplify or weaken the effects of these stressors on innovative behavior depending on how it is experienced by employees. By integrating stress theory and innovation research within a management context, this study develops a conceptual framework and discusses theoretical and managerial implications for fostering innovation under demanding work conditions.