Linking inclusive leadership to team cohesion: the mediating roles of employee uniqueness and diversity climate in the UAE's multicultural workforce

Purpose This study empirically examines the role of inclusive leadership in fostering employee uniqueness, promoting diversity climate and strengthening perceived team cohesion within the multicultural workforce of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Design/methodology/approach A quantitative cross-sectional survey design was employed. Data were collected from 312 employees across five sectors in the UAE using validated measurement instruments. Structural equation modeling (SEM) with maximum likelihood estimation was used to test seven hypothesized relationships within a parallel dual-mediation model. Findings Inclusive leadership demonstrated significant positive direct effects on employee uniqueness, diversity climate, and perceived team cohesion. Employee uniqueness and diversity climate both partially mediated the relationship between inclusive leadership and perceived team cohesion, confirming the hypothesized parallel dual-mediation model. Practical implications Organizations in the UAE should invest in leadership development programs emphasizing openness, fairness and cultural competence to harness the full performance potential of their diverse workforces. Originality/value This study contributes to the literature by empirically validating a structural model linking inclusive leadership to employee uniqueness, diversity climate and perceived team cohesion in the UAE, addressing the limited non-Western and predominantly conceptual nature of existing research.