Does perceived inclusion matter in the workplace?

Abstract

Purpose

Perceived inclusion refers to employees’ perception of their inclusion status in the workplace. This concept offers a new perspective to understand employees’ experiences within today’s complex working environment. However, research on how perceived inclusion influences employee behavior is lacking. The purpose of this paper is to explore the mechanism of perceived inclusion through the lens of the social exchange perspective and role identity theory.

Design/methodology/approach

Survey data were collected from 257 employees and 60 supervisors in a manufacturing company. Multi-level structural equation modeling and the Monte Carlo method were applied to test the mediation effect.

Findings

The results indicated that employees’ perceived inclusion was positively associated with job role and innovator role performance through the mediation of organizational commitment. Perceived inclusion was also directly associated with team role performance.

Originality/value

This is the first study to empirically examine perceived inclusion in the workplace from the social exchange and role identity perspective. It revealed that perceived inclusion fosters employees’ commitment toward the organization, which in turn influences their work-role behaviors. Theoretical contributions and practical implications are discussed.

Citation

Chen, C. and Tang, N. (2018), "Does perceived inclusion matter in the workplace?", Journal of Managerial Psychology, Vol. 33 No. 1, pp. 43-57. https://doi.org/10.1108/JMP-02-2017-0078