Inclusive talent management and employee interpersonal conflict: the moderating role of employee engagement in the banking sector

Purpose This study examines the association between inclusive talent management (TM) and employee interpersonal conflict, and tests employee engagement as a moderating condition. It responds to calls to move beyond dominant exclusive TM perspectives by empirically examining inclusive approaches in an underexplored emerging-economy banking context. Design/methodology/approach Guided by Social Exchange Theory and Conflict Theory, a cross-sectional survey was conducted among employees in commercial banks across three tiers in Kenya. The final analytical sample comprised 162 respondents working in organizations characterized by inclusive TM practices. Data were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) in SmartPLS 4 to test the hypothesized relationships. Findings The findings show that inclusive TM is negatively associated with interpersonal conflict. In addition, employee engagement strengthens this negative association, indicating that the relationship between inclusive TM and interpersonal conflict is more pronounced when engagement is high. Research limitations/implications The cross-sectional design limits causal inference. Future longitudinal, cross-sectoral, and mixed-method studies could enhance generalizability and theoretical understanding of inclusive TM and interpersonal conflict. Practical implications The results suggest that organizations seeking to address interpersonal conflict may benefit from aligning inclusive TM practices with initiatives that foster employee engagement, particularly in hierarchical and resource-constrained environments. Social implications By promoting fairness and engagement, inclusive talent management helps organizations reduce interpersonal conflict, strengthen employee relationships, and enhance overall performance and workplace harmony. Originality/value This study extends TM research by examining interpersonal conflict as a relational outcome of inclusive TM, an area that has received limited empirical attention. By identifying employee engagement as a boundary condition, the study offers theoretically grounded and context-sensitive insights into how inclusive TM is associated with workplace relationships in emerging-economy banking contexts.