Inclusive climate or innovative climate? The mechanism of green transformational leadership motivating green mindfulness

Abstract

Mindfulness from employees to greener work status is crucial for cooperates' green transformation. Green transformational leadership (GTL) is a driving factor persuading individual-level green behaviours. However, scholars have rarely focused on Green Mindfulness (GM) and lacked attention to the different organizational climates. Our study explores the impact of GTL on employees' green mindfulness, innovatively considering the mediation of Inclusive Psychological Climate (IPC) and Innovative Organizational Climate (IOC). By a mixed-methods approach, we analyzed data from 661 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in China's tourism and hospitality industry, employing validated scales and structural equation modelling (SEM). Results show that green transformational leadership significantly enhances green mindfulness, with the inclusive psychological climate positively reinforcing this relationship while the innovative organizational climate exhibits a mitigating effect. This highlights the importance of fostering an inclusive psychological climate to promote green mindfulness, balancing innovation without detracting from green focus. Managerially, our findings recommend establishing clear green visions, encouraging low-carbon behaviours, providing training for effective green practices, and creating an inclusive culture that values diverse perspectives. Moreover, balancing innovation and stability is crucial for maintaining employees' green mindfulness. Future research should broaden the sample scope, incorporate multiple data sources, and employ longitudinal designs to enhance reliability and validity. Overall, this study provides valuable insights into sustainable management practices and enhances our understanding of how green transformational leadership can foster green mindfulness.