Affect and creative performance: The mediating role of work engagement

Drawing on self-determination theory, the purpose of this study was to investigate how affect influences employee creativity through work engagement (absorption and attention). In Study 1 we recruited 143 participants to assess their perceptions of affect, creative performance, and work engagement. Study 2 is a longitudinal study in which we examined the stability of the relationship between affect and work engagement with a sample of 87 government employees from Beijing. Positive relationships were identified between affect, work engagement, and creative performance. The result emphasizes the key role of affect in fostering absorption and attention, and consequently, creative performance is amplified. In the context of China’s academia and researchers, the substantial significance of affect in boosting creative performance is demonstrated. The study shows that work engagement mediates the influence of affect on creativity. Work engagement is regarded as a valuable psychological phenomenon due to its significance in terms of creative performance and individual well-being.