The Role of Inclusive Leadership by Rectors in the Context of Teachers’ Job Satisfaction at Chinese Universities

The importance of inclusive leadership in increasing job satisfaction among university teachers remains understudied on an empirical level. This study aimed to explore the relationship between inclusive leadership and job satisfaction among Chinese university teachers. The main goal was to assess how the inclusive leadership of university rectors affects various aspects of job satisfaction among teachers. The study employed a quantitative approach using the Inclusive Leader Scale (ILS) and the Job Satisfaction Scale (JSS) to collect data from 50 rectors and 500 teachers from 50 universities in China. The results revealed a significant positive correlation between ILS scores and all JSS subscales. This correlation suggests that inclusive leadership is closely associated with higher job satisfaction. The strongest correlation was found between ILS scores and subscales related to colleagues, family and work balance, and additional benefits. In addition, there were significant correlations between the JSS subscales, indicating that various aspects of job satisfaction are interrelated and collectively contribute to teachers’ overall job satisfaction. The study highlights the crucial role of inclusive leadership in increasing job satisfaction in higher education. We recommend implementing programmes focused on inclusive leadership skills, as they can significantly increase job satisfaction among teachers.