Innovation by employees is essential for the sustained competitiveness of high-tech firms, and socially responsible human resource management (SRHRM) has emerged as an important managerial approach for supporting such outcomes. As an HRM practice grounded in corporate social responsibility principles, SRHRM can shape how employees think and behave at work. Guided by person–environment fit theory, this research develops a moderated serial mediation framework to clarify how SRHRM contributes to employee innovation performance (EIP). Data were collected through a cross-sectional survey of 440 employees working in Chinese high-tech companies. Results indicate that SRHRM not only enhances EIP directly but also operates through multiple psychological pathways. Specifically, person–organization fit (P–O fit) and work engagement (WE) each serve as mediators, both independently and in a sequential process. In addition, employees’ individualism orientation (IO) alters the strength of these mechanisms: when IO is high, the positive impact of P–O fit on WE becomes stronger, and the overall serial mediation from SRHRM to EIP is amplified. The study contributes to HRM and innovation research by demonstrating how SRHRM promotes innovation through employee fit and engagement, and by emphasizing the role of individual cultural values in these relationships.
