Factors Influencing Innovative Work Behavior among Teachers in Private Universities and Colleges in Xi’an, China

University teachers are expected to improve courses, respond to changing student needs, and turn workable ideas into teaching practice rather than rely only on established routines. In private higher education, whether those ideas move forward may depend on leadership, school culture, and the level of engagement teachers bring to their work. This study examined the relationships of transformational leadership and school culture with innovative work behavior among full-time teachers in private universities and colleges in Xi’an, China, and tested whether employee engagement mediated these relationships. A quantitative cross-sectional survey was conducted with 391 teachers selected through proportionate stratified random sampling from 26 private higher education institutions. A 10-point questionnaire provided the data for the study, with SPSS 28.0 and AMOS used for the analysis. The measurement model was checked through confirmatory factor analysis, whereas the structural relationships were examined using covariance-based structural equation modeling. Mediation effects were estimated from 5,000 bootstrap resamples. The results indicated positive links between innovative work behavior and transformational leadership, school culture, and employee engagement. Transformational leadership and school culture were also positively related to employee engagement. Employee engagement partially mediated the relationships of both transformational leadership and school culture with innovative work behavior, while both direct relationships remained significant. These findings indicate that teacher innovation in private higher education is shaped by workplace conditions as well as teachers’ involvement in their work. The study brings Transformational Leadership Theory, Job Demands Resources Theory, and Social Exchange Theory into one model and provides evidence from private higher education in Xi’an, where this combination has received limited attention. For practice, the results point to the value of supportive leadership, constructive working relationships, and conditions that help teachers remain engaged when developing and applying new ideas.