Emotional and informational support from different sources and employee creativity

This study examined relations between employee creativity and emotional and informational support provided by three sources: individuals in the primary work unit, other work-related individuals and non-work-related individuals. I also examined whether openness to experience moderated these relations. Results showed significant relations between creativity and emotional support from primary unit and other work-related individuals, and informational support from primary unit and non-work-related individuals. Emotional support from non-work-related individuals had a stronger relation to creativity for employees low on openness to experience than for those high on openness. Implications of these results for organizational research and practice are discussed.