Inclusive Leadership and Employee Workplace Well-being: The Role of Vigor and Supervisor Developmental Feedback

Overview

• Publication: BMC Psychology, Volume 12, Article Number 540 (2024)
• Published: October 7, 2024
• Open Access: Yes

Abstract

Purpose

• Investigate the relationship between inclusive leadership and employee workplace well-being.
• Examine the influence of vigor and supervisor developmental feedback.
• Examine this relationship through the lens of self-determination theory.

Methods

• Data from 342 full-time employees across 61 teams.
• Used multilevel structural equation modeling and Monte Carlo simulations.

Results

• Inclusive leadership is positively correlated with workplace well-being.
• Employee vigor mediates this relationship.
• Supervisor developmental feedback moderates the relationship between inclusive leadership and vigor.

Conclusion

• Inclusive leadership enhances workplace well-being by stimulating vigor.
• Effective feedback can meet employees’ growth needs, further enhancing vigor and well-being.

Introduction

• Increasing workplace competitiveness leads to stress and lower well-being.
• Only 47% of employees were optimistic about career prospects (Nature 2021 survey).
• Employees with high well-being show higher motivation and creativity.
• Transformational, happiness, and inclusive leadership styles positively impact well-being.

Theoretical Background

Inclusive Leadership

• Promotes sense of belonging and utilization of unique strengths.
• Emphasizes fair treatment, support, and respect.

Self-Determination Theory (SDT)

• Focuses on three basic needs: autonomy, competence, and relationships.

Vigor

• Refers to physical strength, emotional energy, and cognitive liveliness.

Hypotheses

1. Inclusive leadership positively relates to employee workplace well-being.
2. Vigor mediates the relationship between inclusive leadership and well-being.
3. Supervisor feedback moderates the relationship between leadership and vigor.
4. Supervisor feedback moderates the mediation of vigor between leadership and well-being.

Methodology

Participants

• Three-stage questionnaire over 1-month intervals.
• 342 valid responses from an initial 504 distributed.
• Demographics: 42.7% male, 57.3% female; 40.9% under 30 years old.

Measurements

• Inclusive leadership, vigor, supervisor feedback, and workplace well-being measured using validated scales.
• Cronbach’s alpha for all scales > 0.78.

Analytical Strategies

• SPSS 26 for descriptive stats and correlation.
• Mplus 7.4 for structural equation modeling.
• R for Monte Carlo simulation.

Results

Preliminary Analyses

• Good discriminant validity between variables.
• No serious common method biases.
• Positive correlations found among key variables.

Hypothesis Testing

• Inclusive leadership significantly impacts vigor and well-being.
• Supervisor feedback strengthens the link between leadership and vigor.

Discussion

• Inclusive leadership enhances well-being by satisfying needs for autonomy, competence, and relationships.
• Developmental feedback meets growth needs, enhancing vigor and well-being.

Practical Implications

• Focus on developing inclusive leaders.
• Enhance employee vigor through organizational practices.
• Value the role of supervisor feedback.

Limitations and Future Directions

• Data based on self-reporting; longitudinal studies recommended.
• Cultural context limited to China.
• Future research could explore individual traits as moderating factors.

Conclusion

• Inclusive leadership and supervisor feedback play crucial roles in enhancing workplace well-being through vigor.

Data Availability

• Data available on Open Science Framework.

Acknowledgements

• Thanks to participants and institutions that funded the research.

Research Funding

• Supported by the National Social Science Foundation of China and other projects.

These notes summarize key aspects of the study on the role of inclusive leadership in enhancing employee well-being through vigor and developmental feedback.