An Inclusive Leadership Framework to Foster Employee Creativity in the Healthcare Sector

The Role of Psychological Safety and Polychronicity

Bibliographic Data

ID15501367
AuthorsQinghua Fu (0000-0002-4367-6065), Jacob Cherian (0000-0002-8530-6951, Abu Dhabi University), Naveed Ahmad (0000-0001-9573-3757, University of Central Punjab, corresponding author), M Scholz (0000-0001-8919-3838, South Ural State University, corresponding author), Sarminah Samad (0000-0001-5965-7726, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University), Ubaldo Comite (0000-0002-9801-9601, Giustino Fortunato University)
Year2022
Volume19
Issue8
Pages4519-4519
Publication date2022-04-08
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueInternational Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1661-7827 • E-ISSN: 1660-4601
PublisherMultidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (PUBLISHER • CH)
DOI10.3390/ijerph19084519
PMID35457388
OpenAlexW4224273305
LanguageEN
Citations received33
References cited14

Creativity at the level of employees is of utmost importance for every sector of an economy, with no exception to a healthcare system. The reason why employee creativity is important lies in the fact that employees have profound knowledge of their job and thus can serve as a source of meaningful innovation in an organization. Research shows that employee creativity is largely dependent on leadership. Corporate leaders significantly influence subordinates' behavior. However, with the economic development, globalization, and changing business environment, a traditional authoritative leadership style can no longer be effective in understanding employees' psychological needs to foster their creative behavior. In this regard, the role of inclusive leadership as an effective organizational management strategy was recently discussed in literature at different levels. It was also stated that an inclusive leader could foster employee creativity. However, such relationships in healthcare systems of developing economies have largely remained under-explored previously. We explored employee creativity in a healthcare context of a developing economy in an inclusive leadership framework to bridge such knowledge gaps. We also investigated the mediating roles of psychological safety and polychronicity in the above-stated relationship. We collected the data from hospital employees through a questionnaire (paper-pencil method). A hypothetical model was developed, which was tested through structural equation modeling in AMOS. Based upon the statistical outcomes, we found that an inclusive leadership style in a hospital can significantly foster employee creativity, whereas psychological safety and polychronicity mediate this relationship. This study offers different theoretical and practical insights, especially to a healthcare system. An important finding was that an inclusive leader can motivate the followers to be more creative. This finding is significant for a hospital because creative employees provide a hospital with a solid competitive base

Business · Creativity · Health care · Political science · Psychological safety · Public relations · Applied Psychology · Human Resource and Talent Management · Job Satisfaction and Organizational Behavior · Psychology · Social Psychology · Workplace Spirituality and Leadership

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