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Inclusive leadership and work engagement: Exploring the role of psychological safety and trust in leader in multiple organizational context

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  • Saeed Siyal

Abstract

Building on social information processing theory and social exchange theory, this research advances the emerging concept of work engagement and inclusive leadership. Surprisingly, there is no study linking work engagement and inclusive leadership style in the setting of multiple organizations in China. The main purpose of this study is to identify the effective leadership style affecting work engagement directly and indirectly through psychological safety. The trust in leader further moderated the direct relationships. Using multi‐source data of 390 responses from leaders‐subordinates dyads working in 20 Chinese companies (which include textile, manufacturing, construction, and trading), this study tested how inclusive leadership increased the work engagement of their subsequent subordinates. The mediating role of psychological safety and moderating role of trust in leader therein. The findings introduced an interactive motivational framework that revealed the positive influence of inclusive leadership on the work engagement of subordinates. Further, psychological safety mediated the direct relationship between inclusive leaders and work engagement. The role of trust in leader strengthened the direct relationship of inclusive leadership with psychological safety and work engagement. This is among the first studies to integrate inclusive leadership, psychological safety, trust in leader, and work engagement into a single interactive framework. Further, it provides empirical evidence in the context of predicting and increasing the work engagement of subordinates.

Suggested Citation

  • Saeed Siyal, 2023. "Inclusive leadership and work engagement: Exploring the role of psychological safety and trust in leader in multiple organizational context," Business Ethics, the Environment & Responsibility, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 32(4), pages 1170-1184, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:buseth:v:32:y:2023:i:4:p:1170-1184
    DOI: 10.1111/beer.12556
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. ZhengYang Kuang & Saeed Siyal & Riaz Ahmad & Yu Yitian & Nazish Naz Ahmad & Muhammad Hamza Farooqui & Qi Liang & Liu Jin, 2025. "The Effect of Knowledge Hiding on the Relationship Among Territoriality, Organization Embeddedness, Ethical Leadership, and Workplace Deviance," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 16(3), pages 13252-13283, September.
    3. Dingding Xiao & Mrs Sherani & Xiaomeng Sui, 2026. "Strengthening technological innovation capabilities in software SMEs via employees’ self-efficacy and collaborative culture: the mediating role of tacit knowledge seeking and the moderating role of employee trust," Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 13(1), pages 1-17, December.

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