Project governance, inclusive leadership and knowledge integration: an analysis of employee mental health in multi-project environments

Purpose This study aims to examine how project governance and inclusive leadership influence the mental health of project team members engaged in multiple simultaneous projects. It also investigates the mediating role of knowledge integration and the moderating role of project assignment in shaping these relationships. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected through a questionnaire survey distributed to 400 employees (project managers, team leaders and team members) working in telecom organizations in Pakistan, with 150 valid responses obtained. Findings Results confirm that project governance and inclusive leadership positively affect the mental health of project team members. Knowledge integration mediates the inclusive leadership path, highlighting its role as a critical mechanism in multi-project settings. Moreover, project assignment moderates the governance path, with stronger governance benefits observed under high-assignment conditions. Originality/value This study extends the project integration and organizational behavior literature by integrating governance, leadership and knowledge integration perspectives to explain team members’ mental health in multi-project contexts. It addresses a critical research gap by linking organizational and team-level factors with employee well-being in high-pressure project environments.