Innovation Under Procedural Constraints: A Moderated Mediation Model of Learning Agility, Work Engagement, and Transformational Leadership in Highly Standardized Public Organizations

Integrating learning agility, work engagement, and transformational leadership in a moderated mediation model. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 685 certified assessors affiliated with 85 Indonesian Professional Certification Bodies selected through organization-level stratification and assessor-level recruitment. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, confirmatory factor analysis, structural equation modelling, bias-corrected bootstrapping, and interaction testing in IBM SPSS and AMOS. Learning agility positively predicted work engagement (? = 0.842, p < 0.001) and innovative work behaviour (? = 0.274, p = 0.019). Work engagement positively predicted innovative work behaviour (? = 0.318, p = 0.008) and partially mediated the relationship between learning agility and innovative work behaviour (indirect ? = 0.268, 95% BC CI [0.031, 0.527], p = 0.022). Transformational leadership strengthened the relationship between work engagement and innovative work behaviour (interaction ? = 0.071, p = 0.001). The findings demonstrate that innovation under procedural constraint depends on the combination of adaptive learning capability, motivational engagement, and leadership support. The study extends innovation and Job Demands–Resources research to regulated public-service settings and provides an internationally relevant explanation of how employees can improve established procedures without compromising accountability or compliance.