The Influence of a Supportive Work Environment on Innovative Work Behaviour of Generation Z Employees in Malaysia

Abstract

The rapid entry of Generation Z (Gen Z) into the post-pandemic workforce has prompted organisations to reconsider traditional workplace practices to sustain employee engagement and innovation. As digital natives, Gen Z employees place greater importance on meaningful work, flexibility, well-being, and supportive workplace relationships. However, these expectations often conflict with the hierarchical and less flexible work environments commonly found in Malaysia. Drawing on Social Exchange Theory (SET), this study investigates the influence of a supportive work environment, comprising positive organisational support (POS), coworker support, and workplace happiness, on innovative work behaviour (IWB) among Gen Z employees in Malaysia. A quantitative cross-sectional survey was conducted among 207 Gen Z employees from various industries. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression analysis. The findings indicate that all variables were reported at moderate-to-high levels, with coworker support recording the highest mean (M = 3.86), followed by POS (M = 3.71), IWB (M = 3.66), and workplace happiness (M = 3.64). Correlation analysis revealed significant positive relationships between all supportive work environment variables and IWB, with POS showing the strongest association (r = 0.568, p < 0.01). Multiple regression analysis demonstrated that supportive work environment factors significantly predicted IWB and explained 21.9% of its variance (R² = 0.219, p < 0.001). POS emerged as the strongest predictor (β = 0.274, p < 0.001), followed by workplace happiness (β = 0.264, p < 0.001) and coworker support (β = 0.210, p < 0.001). The findings support SET by demonstrating that organisational and social support encourage Gen Z employees to reciprocate through innovative behaviour. The study contributes to understanding innovation drivers among young employees in Malaysia and provides practical insights for organisations seeking to enhance workforce innovation and retention.