Emotional intelligence and metacognitive awareness as predictors of innovative work behavior: The mediating roles of psychological capital, work engagement, and psychological well-being and the moderating role of perceived organizational support

Abstract

Faculty innovation is essential for enhancing teaching, research, and institutional performance in higher education. However, limited research has explained how emotional intelligence and metacognitive awareness jointly foster innovative work behavior through underlying psychological mechanisms, particularly in developing-country contexts. Drawing on the Job Demands–Resources (JD-R) theory, this study examines the roles of psychological capital, work engagement, psychological well-being, and perceived organizational support in explaining faculty innovation. Data were collected from 270 faculty members employed in public universities across Pakistan and analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The findings indicate that emotional intelligence and metacognitive awareness positively influence psychological capital and work engagement, which subsequently enhance psychological well-being. Psychological well-being emerged as the strongest predictor of innovative work behavior, while perceived organizational support strengthened this relationship. The study extends JD-R theory by integrating emotional and cognitive personal resources within a unified motivational framework and demonstrates how individual and organizational resources jointly promote faculty innovation. The findings also provide practical guidance for universities seeking to enhance faculty well-being, engagement, and innovative performance through supportive organizational practices.