Will the Inclusive Dream Make a Happy Team? A Study on how Inclusive Leadership affects Career Sustainability and the Roles of Psychological Safety and Organization-Based Self-Esteem

Abstract

Today’s workforce is characterized by great diversity, and to ensure that the potential of all employees is reached, there is an increasing focus on career sustainability. Handling a diverse workforce and increasing employees’ sustainable careers, requires an inclusive leadership style. However, little research is conducted on how leadership, especially inclusive leadership, can contribute to sustainable careers. Therefore, the current study aimed to explore the influence of inclusive leadership on employees’ career sustainability. Specifically, it investigates to what extent this relationship is mediated through psychological safety and moderated by organization-based self-esteem. This research question was studied using a quantitative research design, in which an online survey was distributed among Dutch leaders and employees. The data has been analyzed using multiple regression analyses. The results showed that, although there was no direct relationship between inclusive leadership and career sustainability, there was a significant positive indirect relationship trough psychological safety. Furthermore, organization-based self-esteem was found to moderate, at least to some extent, the effects of inclusive leadership. More research is needed on the concepts of inclusive leadership and career sustainability, and the factors that mediate their relationship. Furthermore, studies should include employees’ diversity, for example by looking at different personality characteristics