Exploring the impact of inclusive leadership on proactive work behavior in nonprofit organization: The mediating role of the relational psychological contract

Abstract

The study aims to provide empirical evidence to explain the relationship between inclusive leadership and proactive work behavior through the mediating role of the relational psychological contract in nonprofit organizations (NPOs). The data were collected from 6751 employees employed at one of the largest NPOs in Poland. The data collection was done through the Computer‐Assisted Web Interview technique. The quantitative results obtained were analyzed by structural equation modeling based on partial least squares regression. The study outlined the mechanisms through which inclusive leadership impacts employees' proactive work behavior. The evidence of a direct and positive relationship between the variables studied was intended to illuminate the role of inclusive leadership and the relational nature of the psychological contract in building proactive work behavior. In addition to the direct effects, the results of the current study add to existing evidence on the mediating role of the relational psychological contract linking inclusive leadership and proactive work behavior. Our research findings make a valuable contribution to the field of inclusive leadership and its influence on proactive work behavior among employees in the nonprofit sector. The study establishes direct and indirect connections through effective mechanisms. Its theoretical contribution refers to the approach in which a relational psychological contract has been adopted as the mediating variable in the relationship between inclusive leadership and proactive work behavior in the nonprofit sector. Moreover, the study provides managers of NPOs with important insights into how inclusive leadership can effectively motivate employees to engage in proactive work behaviors. It demonstrates that the push for diversity necessitates explicit supervisory attention in order to foster an inclusive environment in which the potential benefits of diversity can be realized.