Talent Attraction and Talent Identification as Drivers of Innovative Work Behaviour Among Nigerian University Employees

Organizations increasingly rely on strategic talent management to stimulate employee innovation and sustain competitive advantage. However, empirical evidence on how specific talent management practices influence innovative work behaviour remains limited, particularly within higher education institutions in developing economies. This study examined the influence of talent attraction and talent identification on innovative work behaviour among academic staff of Covenant University, Nigeria. Guided by Social Exchange Theory, the study adopted a quantitative cross-sectional survey design. Data were collected from 280 academic staff using a structured questionnaire and analysed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) in SmartPLS 4. The measurement model demonstrated satisfactory reliability and validity (Composite Reliability = 0.957–0.960; AVE = 0.848–0.856; SRMR = 0.032). The structural model revealed that both talent attraction (β = 0.270, t = 6.131, p < 0.001) and talent identification (β = 0.298, t = 6.128, p < 0.001) exert significant positive effects on innovative work behaviour, jointly explaining 36.8% of its variance (R² = 0.368). The study concludes that universities can strengthen innovative work behaviour by implementing merit-based talent attraction and systematic talent identification practices. The findings extend talent management literature by providing empirical evidence from the Nigerian higher education context and offer practical guidance for university administrators seeking to enhance institutional innovation through strategic talent management.