FOSTERING CHALLENGE-ORIENTED ORGANIZATIONAL CITIZENSHIP BEHAVIOR THROUGH INCLUSIVE LEADERSHIP: A SERIAL MEDIATION MODEL OF PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY AND WORK ENGAGEMENT

Abstract

Inclusive leadership has become an important predictor of key workplace outcomes. This study explores the mechanism by which inclusive leadership fosters challenge- oriented OCB, leveraging psychological safety and work engagement as sequential mediators. Inclusive leadership creates an environment where employees feel a sense of security and are more psychologically safe, which makes them more engaged at work, resulting in higher CO-OCB. A sample of 630 employees from three companies operating in Pakistan's telecommunication industry is taken. Data was drawn based on a cross-sectional survey where the participants answered tried and tested reliable questions measuring CO-OCB influenced by inclusive leadership, psychological safety, and work engagement. In analyzing the model, regression assumptions were checked through SPSS software, while PROCESS macro was used primarily for the serial mediation model proposed in the study. Findings indicate that CO-OCB is positively influenced by inclusive leadership, with psychological safety and work engagement acting as mediators in a sequential pathway. That is, the trust and openness created by inclusive leadership lead to conditions of psychological safety and a sense of security that in turn promote higher levels of engagement and motivate employees to participate in tasks that foster CO-OCB. This study helps understand how inclusive leadership affects voluntary behaviors that face challenges. It shows the importance of feeling psychologically safe and being engaged in organizations. The practical results of this study are important to managers; they give useful ideas for creating leadership and engagement plans that help in improving organizational performance. Also, the study gives possible directions for future research and talks about its limitations.