Empowerment Through Inclusion: The Dynamics of Inclusive Leadership, Authentic Expression, and Perceived Self-Status – A Social Identity Approach

The current study explores the impact of inclusive leadership on employee empowerment through a novel approach that examines the underlying mechanisms between them. Using social identity theory, it presents a process of social identity development, explaining how inclusive leadership enhances employee psychological empowerment via serial mediation mechanisms. The hypotheses were tested in two studies: a two-wave online survey of 120 university interns in Vietnam (Study 1) and a randomized vignette experiment with 220 full-time employees in Taiwan (Study 2). Results from both studies affirm that inclusive leadership practices significantly boost psychological empowerment. Furthermore, the research highlights the serial mediating roles of employee authentic expression and self-perceived status, alongside the moderating influence of employee self-esteem on the relationship between inclusive leadership and psychological empowerment. This study contributes to the existing literature by offering new theoretical and practical insights into how leadership and organizational factors can promote employee empowerment in organizational settings.