Inclusive Leadership for Employee Workplace Well-Being in Public Organizations

Abstract

Various public organizations realize that promoting workplace well-being is crucial for the effectiveness of their employees. It is believed that when creating an environment where employees feel welcomed, are treated fairly, and their contributions are appreciated, they will be happy and work better. Therefore, diversity management has gained increased attention. However, since diversity does not necessarily mean inclusion in decision-making and the appreciation of employee differences and input, a growing body of research has advocated the adoption of positive relational leadership styles, such as inclusive leadership. Inclusive leadership embraces employee differences, manages diversity, and recognizes employee input. Hence this paper investigates how inclusive leadership correlates to employee workplace well-being in public organizations. Relying on quantitative analysis, a questionnaire was distributed to N= 234 Egyptian local government officials who demonstrated diversity in gender and educational levels. The data collected were analyzed using SPSS version 20. The study's conclusions reveal that inclusive leadership has an uneven influence on employee workplace well-being based on educational levels. The correlation was strongest among the least educated and weakest among the highly educated. Gender, on the other hand, did not show any significant difference in the correlation between inclusive leadership and workplace well-being and hence, was not considered for further analysis. Moreover, the traits of inclusive leadership have different effects on employee workplace well-being based on their educational levels. For the least educated, leadership accessibility had the greatest influence on employee workplace well-being, while for the highly educated, leadership openness had the strongest influence. In conclusion, this paper highlights the importance of inclusive leadership in promoting employee workplace well-being in public organizations, especially for marginalized groups who may feel excluded in the workplace. Additionally, public organizations should recognize that inclusive leadership practices should be tailored to meet the diverse needs of employees based on their educational levels.