Driving Success: The role of inclusive leadership in fuelling employee performance through the mediating role of job motivation

Authors

  • aiman niazi National University of Modern Languages
  • Atika Fazil National University of Modern Languages, Rawalpindi, Pakistan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.56220/uwjms.v9i1.270

Keywords:

Inclusive leadership, job motivation, task performance, innovative workplace behavior

Abstract

Purpose: The study aims to contribute to the literature on inclusive leadership by establishing and testing the relationship between inclusive leadership and employee outcomes i.e., task performance and innovative work behaviour. The study further seeks to establish the mediating role of job motivation in the said association.

Design and Methodology: The study used a quantitative research methodology to test the hypothesis and derive conclusions. Survey-based data was collected from 164 managerial and non-managerial level employees from IT sector organizations in the twin cities of Punjab province, Pakistan. The collected data was analysed through the statistical software SPSS to generate findings that support the established hypothesis. 

Findings: The results confirmed several key relationships. Inclusive leadership not only directly improves innovative work behaviour but also plays a crucial role in enhancing job motivation, ensuring employees feel valued and motivated. This motivated state of employees is linked to enhanced innovative work behaviour, reinforcing the notion that motivated employees contribute significantly to organizational success. However, the study reveals non-significant direct and indirect relationship of inclusive leadership with employee task performance.

Implications: The research will provide IT sector organizations with detailed comprehension into the dynamics of leadership style and its subsequent impact on employee motivation and workplace behaviours.

References

l-Atwi, A. A., & Al-Hassani, K. K. (2021). Inclusive leadership: scale validation and potential consequences. Leadership & organization development journal, 42(8), 1222-1240. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/LODJ-08-2020-0327

Ali, H. (2022). Inclusive leadership and its impact on employee task performance in the IT sector. Management Science Letters, 12(4), 367-374.

Babbie, E. R. (2017). The practice of social research. Cengage Learning.

Bani-Melhem, S., Zeffane, R., & Albaity, M. (2018). Determinants of employees’ innovative behaviour. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 30(3), 1601-1620. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCHM-02-2017-0079

Bass, B. M., & Riggio, R. E. (2006). Transformational Leadership. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781410617095

Baumeister, R. F., & Leary, M. R. (1995). The need to belong: Desire for interpersonal attachments as a fundamental human motivation. Psychological Bulletin, 117(3), 497-529. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037//0033-2909.117.3.497

Bodla, A. A., & Ningyu, T. (2017). Transformative HR practices and employee task performance in high-tech firms: The role of employee adaptivity. Journal of Organizational Change Management, 30(5), 710-724. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/JOCM-02-2016-0030

Carmeli, A., Reiter-Palmon, R., & Ziv, E. (2010). Inclusive leadership and employee involvement in creative tasks in the workplace: The mediating role of psychological safety. Creativity research journal, 22(3), 250-260. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/10400419.2010.504654

Chen, H., Liang, Q., Feng, C., & Zhang, Y. (2023). Leadership and follower voice: The role of inclusive leadership and group faultlines in promoting collective voice behaviour. The Journal of Applied Behavioural Science, 59(1), 61-87. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/00218863211035243

Choi, S. B., Tran, T. B. H., & Kang, S. W. (2017). Inclusive leadership and employee well-being: The mediating role of person-job fit. Journal of Happiness Studies, 18(6), 1877- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-016-9801-6

Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (1985). Intrinsic Motivation and Self-Determination in Human Behaviour. Springer. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-2271-7

Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2000). The "what" and "why" of goal pursuits: Human needs and the self-determination of behaviour. Psychological Inquiry, 11(4), 227-268. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1207/S15327965PLI1104_01

Dogru, T. (2023). The Impact of Inclusive Leadership on Employee Performance and Creativity. Journal of Business Research, 140, 223-235.

Farrukh, M., Kalimuthu, R., & Manzoor, S. (2020). Impact of leadership styles on employee performance in the IT sector of Pakistan. Journal of Business Research, 112, 251-263.

Fatima, T., & Iqbal, M. (2023). Exploring the relationship between inclusive leadership and task performance: A study in the IT sector of Pakistan. South Asian Journal of Business Studies, 10(1), 95-113.

Fowler, F. J. (2013). Survey research methods. Sage Publications.

Gagné, M., & Deci, E. L. (2005). Self-determination theory and work motivation. Journal of Organizational Behaviour, 26(4), 331-362. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/job.322

Gong, L., Zhang, S., & Liu, Z. (2024). The impact of inclusive leadership on task performance: A moderated mediation model of resilience capacity and work meaningfulness. Baltic Journal of Management, 19(1), 36-51. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/BJM-01-2023-0029

Guo, Y., Jin, J., & Yim, S. (2023). Impact of inclusive leadership on innovative work behaviour: The mediating role of job crafting. Administrative Sciences, 13(1), 4. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/admsci13010004

Heritage, B., Pollock, C., & Roberts, L. D. (2015). Confirmatory factor analysis of Warr, Cook, and Wall's (1979) Job satisfaction scale. Australian Psychologist, 50(2), 122-129. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/ap.12103

Hunsaker, W. D., & Ding, D. (2022). The Influence of Inclusive Leadership on Employee Creativity: A Study in IT Companies. Journal of Organizational Behaviour, 43(2), 245-261.

Iqbal, T., & Anwar, M. (2022). Extrinsic motivation and task performance: An empirical study in the context of Pakistan's IT companies. Journal of Management Sciences, 9(2), 305-320.

Javed, B., & Rashid, M. (2023). Participative leadership and organizational innovation: Assessing the mediating role of job motivation in IT companies. Leadership & Organization Development Journal, 44(2), 210-227.

Jin, H., & Wang, Z. (2023). Mechanisms of cross-level impact of leadership rapport orientation on employees' innovative behaviour. Leadership & Organization Development Journal, 44(7), 833-854. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/LODJ-03-2023-0132

Khalid, S. (2021). The influence of inclusive leadership on employee innovative behaviour: Evidence from the IT industry in Pakistan. International Journal of Human Resource Studies, 11(2), 45-60.

Khalil, U., & Abbas, M. (2022). The impact of employee recognition on productivity: The mediating role of job motivation. South Asian Journal of Human Resources Management, 9(1), 67-85.

Khan, S., & Iqbal, M. (2023). Leadership styles and employee motivation in Pakistan's IT sector. Pakistan Journal of Management Studies, 29(1), 90-107.

Khan, S., & Mahmood, A. (2021). The impact of inclusive leadership on task performance: Mediating roles of work engagement and self-efficacy. Journal of Leadership and Organizational Studies, 28(3), 210-225.

Khan, S., Ghani, U., & Humayun, Z. (2020). Leadership strategies in the IT sector of Pakistan: Enhancing employee motivation and performance. International Journal of Management, 37(2), 152-167.

Korkmaz, A. V., Van Engen, M. L., Knappert, L., & Schalk, R. (2022). About and beyond leading uniqueness and belongingness: A systematic review of inclusive leadership research. Human Resource Management Review, 32(4), 100894. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hrmr.2022.100894

Kuknor, S., Bhattacharya, S., Sharma, B. K., & Bhattacharya, S. (2023). Organizational inclusion and OCB: The moderating role of inclusive leadership. FIIB Business Review, 23197145231183859. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/23197145231183859

Liu, Y., Zhang, X., Xi, M., Liu, S., & Meng, X. (2024). Organizational environments, work characteristics and employee innovative behaviour in the digital age: an fsQCA approach. Chinese Management Studies, 18(5), 1324-1351. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/CMS-04-2022-0125

Malik, A., & Raheem, S. (2023). Work-life balance and employee performance: The mediating role of job motivation in the software industry of Pakistan. International Journal of Human Resource Studies, 13(1), 120-137.

Morris, S. N. (2023). Cultural diversity in workplace and the role of management. American Journal of Industrial and Business Management, 13(5), 380-393. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4236/ajibm.2023.135024

Mumford, M. D., Fichtel, M., England, S., & Newbold, T. R. (2023). Leader thinking, follower thinking: Leader impacts on follower creative performance. Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behaviour, 10(1), 413-440. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-orgpsych-120920-045553

Noviani, E. (2021). The importance of providing motivation to bring work spirit that impact on increasing performance. AKADEMIK: Jurnal Mahasiswa Ekonomi & Bisnis, 1(2), 49-58. DOI: https://doi.org/10.37481/jmeb.v1i2.219

Qurrahtulain, K., Bashir, T., Hussain, I., Ahmed, S., & Nisar, A. (2022). Impact of inclusive leadership on adaptive performance with the mediation of vigor at work and moderation of internal locus of control. Journal of public affairs, 22(1), e2380. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/pa.2380

Randel, A. E., Galvin, B. M., Shore, L. M., Ehrhart, K. H., Chung, B. G., Dean, M. A., & Kedarnath, U. (2018). Inclusive leadership: Realizing positive outcomes through belongingness and being valued for uniqueness. Human Resource Management Review, 28(2), 190-203. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hrmr.2017.07.002

Rifaldi, R. B., Ramadhini, N., & Usman, O. (2019). Effect of democratic leadership style, work environment, cultural organization, motivation and compensation to the employees performance. Work Environment, Cultural Organization, Motivation and Compensation to the Employees Performance (January 6, 2019). DOI: https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3311070

Roberson, Q., & Perry, J. L. (2022). Inclusive leadership in thought and action: A thematic analysis. Group & Organization Management, 47(4), 755-778. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/10596011211013161

Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2000). Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being. American Psychologist, 55(1), 68-78. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037//0003-066X.55.1.68

Setrojoyo, S. M., Rony, Z. T., Sutrisno, S., Naim, S., Manap, A., & Sakti, B. P. (2023). The effect of intrinsic motivation, organizational culture on employee performance with organizational commitment as an intervening variable. International Journal of Professional Business Review, 8(7), 52. DOI: https://doi.org/10.26668/businessreview/2023.v8i7.2436

Shah, M. S., Wu, C., & Ullah, Z. (2021). The inter-relationship between CSR, inclusive leadership and employee creativity: a case of the banking sector. Sustainability, 13(16), 9158. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su13169158

Shin, J., & Grant, A. M. (2019). Bored by interest: How intrinsic motivation in one task can reduce performance on other tasks. Academy of Management Journal, 62(2), 415-436 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5465/amj.2017.0735

Shore, L. M., Cleveland, J. N., & Sanchez, D. (2011). Inclusive workplaces: A review and model. Human Resource Management Review, 21(3), 125-136.

Siyal, S. (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, 32(4), 1170-1184. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/beer.12556

Suryanarayana, R. (2023). How Inclusive Leadership Enhances Creativity in Challenging Work Environments. International Journal of Business Innovation and Research, 25(1), 65-82.

Tampubolon, H. (2017). The relationship between employee engagement, job motivation, and job satisfaction towards the employee performance. Corporate Ownership & Control, 13(2), 473-477. DOI: https://doi.org/10.22495/cocv13i2c2p9

Tierney, P. (2024). Leadership and employee creativity. In Handbook of organizational creativity (pp. 95-124). Psychology Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003573326-6

Umrani, W. A., Bachkirov, A. A., Nawaz, A., Ahmed, U., & Pahi, M. H. (2024). Inclusive leadership, employee performance and well-being: an empirical study. Leadership & Organization Development Journal, 45(2), 231-250. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/LODJ-03-2023-0159

Van Eerde, W., & Thierry, H. (1996). Vroom's expectancy models and work-related criteria: A meta-analysis. Journal of Applied Psychology, 81(5), 575-586. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037//0021-9010.81.5.575

Vroom, V. H. (1964). Work and Motivation. Wiley.

Wang, H., Kim, T. Y., & Lee, D. (2016). Inclusive Leadership and Employee Creativity: The Mediating Role of Psychological Safety. Journal of Creative Behaviour, 50(1), 14-25.

Wu, G.-f., & Li, M. (2023). Impact of inclusive leadership on employees’ innovative behaviour: A relational silence approach. Frontiers in Psychology, 14. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1144791

Xiaotao, Z., Yang, X., Diaz, I., & Yu, M. (2018). Is too much inclusive leadership a good thing? An examination of curvilinear relationship between inclusive leadership and employees’ task performance. International Journal of Manpower, 39(7), 882-895. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/IJM-01-2017-0011

Downloads

Published

2025-06-30

How to Cite

niazi, aiman, & Atika Fazil. (2025). Driving Success: The role of inclusive leadership in fuelling employee performance through the mediating role of job motivation. UW Journal of Management Sciences, 9(1). https://doi.org/10.56220/uwjms.v9i1.270