Impromptu changes in work design during the COVID-19 pandemic turned out changing the innovative work behavior of Millennials and Generation Z employees due to being emotionally exhausted while adapting to new work characteristic. Dissatisfaction has led these employees suggesting hybrid working arrangement which some literature found is characterized by boundarylessness, multitasking, demand for constant learning, and non-work related interruptions to be adopted by organizations. This research investigates the role of emotional exhaustion in understanding the influence of hybrid work characteristics on innovative work behavior based on those experienced working in hybrid working arrangements. Primary data was collected from 177 respondents and were analyzed using Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The results confirmed a significant influence between hybrid work characteristics to emotional exhaustion, emotional exhaustion to innovative work behaviour, and the mediation effects except for multitasking. This study adds and fills the gap of research in understanding the role of emotional exhaustion in the application of new work design on Millennials and Generation Z. Instead of bringing deterioration, emotional exhaustion was found triggering employees to be more innovative in their works while working in hybrid working arrangement. For that, organizations might consider adopting this new approach of work design.

Keywords

Work Design, Hybrid Work Characteristics, Emotional Exhaustion, Innovative Work Behavior