How can inclusive leadership motivate employee voice? A cross-level study from psychological capital and internal social capital perspective

Purpose Based on the conservation of resources theory, this study explains the impact of inclusive leadership style on employee voice and explores the mechanism of the mediating role played by psychological capital and internal social capital. Design/methodology/approach The authors conducted paired questionnaire surveys of supervisors and their subordinates in multiple enterprises in South China at three different time points. Ultimately, we collected 60 valid paired questionnaires from supervisors and 290 from subordinates. A multilevel structural equation modeling approach was employed to test the hypothesized relationships between variables. Findings The inclusive leadership style has a positive impact on employee voice, and both psychological capital and internal social capital serve as mediators in this relationship. Practical implications To motivate employees to actively voice their opinions, managers should exhibit inclusive characteristics. Additionally, actively fostering employees’ psychological capital and internal social capital is crucial for promoting employee voice. Originality/value This study, based on the conservation of resources theory, constructed a cross-level multiple mediation model. It found that inclusive leadership not only has a direct impact on employee voice but also indirectly promotes employee voice through two mediating pathways: internal social capital and individual psychological capital.