Organizational Inclusion and OCB: The Moderating Role of Inclusive Leadership

Abstract

Diversity and inclusion are considered to be critical for organizational success. Increased workforce diversity due to multicultural organizations also increases the importance of maintaining harmony and productivity in the workplace. In light of the above, this research article aimed to find the effect of perception of inclusion practices in the workplace on organizational citizenship behaviour (OCB). Further, the moderating role of a leader was examined in the study to understand if the presence of an inclusive leader affects the relationship between organizational inclusion (OI) and OCB. Primary data was collected from 352 working professionals from 47 information technology companies in India indexed in BSE S&P (Bombay Stock Exchange) through a self-administered questionnaire. Statistical technique of Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) was applied to analyse the data using AMOS 18. The study found that OI is positively associated with OCB. This indicated that if organizations initiate and manage inclusion in the workplace through their policies and practices, it will positively impact the organizational outcome. In a diverse country like India, the study is one of its kind to examine the interrelationships between inclusion, OCB and inclusive leadership. The study has strong policy implications highlighting the role of an inclusive leader, which is a niche research area.