Cultivating loyalty: the role of inclusive leadership in fostering organizational commitment through mediating effect of psychological safety and perceived organizational support

Purpose This study explores the effect of inclusive leadership (IL) on organizational commitment (OC) in Pakistan’s telecom sector. Psychological safety (PS) and perceived organizational support (POS) are taken as mediators to explore the interplay of the constructs. The study aims to contribute to the existing literature by providing insights into the critical role of inclusive IL impacting OC through PS and POS as mediators. Design/methodology/approach This study uses a quantitative methodology and a cross-sectional survey of 289 employees of the telecom sector working in the front office dealing with customer services. Using confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling, the study tests hypotheses on the critical role of OC in Pakistan’s telecom sector. With the aid of SPSS v27 and AMOS v23 for structural equation model construction and path analysis, a time-lagged data collection method was used to avoid common method bias. Findings According to the research paper’s findings, evidence supports the hypotheses, suggesting that IL has a positive direct and indirect impact on OC via PS and POS. Originality/value This study adds to the existing body of knowledge on IL, PS, POS and OC. This study also tests the mediating role of PS and POS in Pakistan’s telecom sector’s service domain. This research also provides practical implications for leaders and employees concerning PS and POS in the specific context of Pakistan’s society.