Gen Z Employee Adaptive Performance: The Role of Inclusive Leadership and Workplace Happiness

Abstract

By drawing on the social exchange theory, this paper suggests a mediation model to examine the role of workplace happiness (i.e., work engagement, job satisfaction, and affective organizational commitment) in the relationship between inclusive leadership and Gen Z employee adaptive performance. Data were collected from 305 Gen Z employees in the Greek telecommunications industry and their supervisors in three sequential phases. The research findings suggest that workplace happiness partially mediates the relationship between inclusive leadership and Gen Z employee adaptive performance. The results indicate that should leaders and managers manage to positively influence Gen Z employees’ work engagement and job satisfaction by employing inclusive strategies and procedures, they will increase their adaptive performance during change. Relevant suggestions are made.