Fostering creative solutions in public sector workforces: the impact of sense of purpose, empathetic leadership and innovative HR practices

Hanadi Alyafei is a DBA candidate at the University of Sharjah, currently serves as the Director General of the Child Safety Department at the Supreme Council for Family Affairs in Sharjah. Her research focuses on compassion-driven leadership, motivation, and creative problem-solving in public sector organizations, bridging academic inquiry with her practical experience in child welfare and community development.

Shaker Bani-Melhem is a Professor and Chair of the Management Department at the College of Business Administration, University of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates (UAE). He is an Associate Editor for the journal Business Ethics, the Environment, and Responsibility (Wiley) and serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Hospitality Marketing and Management (Taylor & Francis). He was recognized on Stanford's Global 2024 List of the Top 2% Scientists. His research interests include Organizational Behavior, Human Resource Management, and Tourism and Hospitality Management.

Salima Hamouche, PhD, is a Human Resources Management Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP). She is an assistant professor of Human resource management at the University of Sharjah, UAE. She has a strong academic background and practical experience in human resources management. She has been practicing it for many years, as an HR consultant, human resource manager, and director, as in small and large organizations, including multinational companies. She was sitting for several years on boards of directors as administrator and vice president. Her research interests are centred on Human resource management, organizational behaviour, employees' well-being, and new technologies at work. She has published in the Journal of Management and Organization, Industrial and Commercial Training, Gender in Management, Career Development International, and European Journal of Management and Business Economics, among others.

Faridahwati Mohd-Shamsudin is a Professor of management at the college of Business Administration, University of Sharjah, Sharjah. She received a master's degree in human resource management from the University of Saskatchewan, Canada, and a doctoral degree in behaviour in the organization from the University of Lancaster, UK. She was previously attached to the Othman Yeop Abdullah Graduate School of Business, Universiti Utara Malaysia. Her research interests are related to workplace deviance/misbehaviour, the influence of human resource management practices on employee attitudes and behaviour; negative/dysfunctional/ineffective leadership; the role of organizations in environmental sustainability.

Muhammad Usman is an associate professor of management at the College of Business Administration, University of Sharjah, Sharjah. His research interests are related to HRM and organizational behaviours. He has published in top academic journals like British Journal of Management, Human Relations, The International Journal of Human Resource Management, Human Resource Management, Human Resource Management Journal and Journal of Organizational Behavior, among others.