A Moderated Mediating Model of Inclusive Leadership on Workgroup Inclusion Among Healthcare Employees

Abstract

The objective of this study is to investigate the effect of inclusive leadership on building the perception of workgroup inclusion within the workgroup of healthcare professionals with a moderating effect of power distance. A sample size of 500 doctors was selected. These participants were recruited from six public teaching hospitals providing inpatient care in Pakistan. The main reason for selecting public teaching hospitals is, that they have more defined departments and workgroups. Smart PLS has been used to statistically analyze the collected data, and the results confirmed the support of all hypotheses. It was found psychological safety climate mediates the relationship between inclusive leadership and workgroup inclusion. Power distance also plays an important role as moderating variable in the relationship between inclusive leadership and psychological safety climate. The study has clear practical implications for managers and leaders, especially in health care settings that they need to look at the positive aspects of the work outcome of inclusive leadership. They need to train the managers to develop inclusive leadership traits among them.  This emphasizes a need for managers to develop inclusive leadership styles or skills among them. Meanwhile, the negative effect of power distance also illustrates that organizations and sectors need to promote an equal culture organization.