Can Inclusive Leadership Foster Flexible Workplaces? A Comprehensive Review and Analysis

This study aimed to thoroughly examine and analyse the existing literature on inclusive leadership (IL), a leadership paradigm that addresses the fulfilment of employees’ needs for relatedness, distinctiveness, and competence. By employing an integrative review, we constructed a conceptual framework for IL. Additionally, we employed bibliometric methods, such as co-citation and co-occurrence techniques, to trace themes within IL literature. Utilising the VOSviewer tool, we reviewed 194 articles to visually map the landscape of IL research. We traced the evolution of IL research, illuminated the IL field’s development, and established the trends in IL research. We explored the theoretical underpinnings of IL studies to contextualise the literature’s development trajectory. We found that reciprocity and collective social identity are the cornerstones of IL literature. This review highlighted IL’s critical role as a unique leadership approach tailored to contemporary organisational contexts and flexible work environments. In conclusion, the integrative and bibliometric review’s findings underscore key areas for future research and offer implications for the continued growth of IL.