Inclusive Leadership Dynamics to Enhance Motivation and Retention of Older Employees in Modern Organizations
Keywords:
inclusive leadership, work motivation, employee retention, older workers, organization, human resource management, opennessAbstract
The growing presence of older adults in the global workforce structure demands organizations to adopt leadership styles that are fair, supportive, and empowering. This study examines how inclusive leadership contributes to enhancing work motivation and employee retention among senior workers. A quantitative approach was employed, involving respondents aged over 50 from ten companies across various sectors in Surabaya. Linear regression analysis was used to assess the relationship between inclusive leadership as the independent variable and two dependent variables: work motivation and retention. The findings highlight the pivotal role of inclusive leadership in fostering motivation among older employees, which in turn strengthens their loyalty and performance. The implications emphasize the importance of inclusion-based HR strategies and the need for organizations to invest in cross-generational leadership development. This study aims to inform HR policy reforms, particularly in building organizational resilience and promoting sustainability through age diversity appreciation.
References
Aksoy, E., & Marcus, J. 2025. Enabling Older Employees’ Well‐Being through HR Attributions: The Moderating Role of Management Context. Human Resource Management Journal, 35(1), 135–153. https://doi.org/10.1111/1748-8583.12555
Ali, M., Baker, M., Grabarski, M. K., & Islam, R. 2025. A Study of Inclusive Supervisory Behaviors, Workplace Social Inclusion and Turnover Intention in the Context of Employee Age. Employee Relations: The International Journal, 47(9), 1–23.
Arifin, S., & Darmawan, D. 2021. Technology Access and Digital Skills: Bridging the Gaps in Education and Employment Opportunities in the Age of Technology 4.0. Journal of Social Science Studies, 1(1), 163–168.
Carmeli, A., Reiter-Palmon, R., & Ziv, E. 2010. Inclusive Leadership and Employee Involvement in Creative Tasks in the Workplace: The Mediating Role of Psychological Safety. Creativity Research Journal, 22(3), 250–260.
De Boom, L., & De Meulenaere, K. 2022. Age-Inclusive Leadership and Intrinsic Motivation: The Role of the Leader-Member Age Differences. Academy of Management Proceedings, 2022(1), 16278. https://doi.org/10.5465/AMBPP.2022.16278abstract
Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. 2000. The “What” and “Why” of Goal Pursuits: Human Needs and the Self-Determination of Behavior. Psychological Inquiry, 11(4), 227–268.
Deswal, R., & Sheokand, K. 2025. Demystifying the Secret to Happiness at Work: The Role of Inclusive Leadership, Despotic Leadership, and Job Crafting. Human Systems Management, 01672533251355887. https://doi.org/10.1177/01672533251355887
Duan, Y., Liu, H., Wang, Z., & Tse, H. H. M. 2025. For the Sake of My Job Security: Examining the Effect of Age-Based Stereotype Threat on Older Workers’ Knowledge Hiding. Journal of Knowledge Management, 29(1), 204–221.
Hom, P. W., Lee, T. W., Shaw, J. D., & Hausknecht, J. P. 2017. One Hundred Years of Employee Turnover Theory and Research. Journal of Applied Psychology, 102(3), 530–545.
Huyler, D., Gomez, L., Rocco, T. S., & Plakhotnik, M. S. 2025. Leading Different Generational Cohorts in the Workplace: Focus on Situational and Inclusive Leadership. New Horizons in Adult Education and Human Resource Development, 37(1), 6–19. https://doi.org/10.1177/19394225241297230
Kuknor, S., Sharma, B. K., & Ouakouak, M. L. 2025. The Relationship of Inclusive Leadership with Organization-Based Self-Esteem: Mediating Role of Climate for Inclusion. SAGE Open, 15(1), 21582440251321994. https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440251321994
Mehmood, W., Shah, S. J., Khan, S., & Zada, M. 2025. Inclusive Leadership: Catalyzing Creative Self-Efficacy and Challenge-Oriented Organization Citizenship Behavior in IT Industry. Human Systems Management, 44(5), 796–806.
Mor Barak, M. E., Luria, G., Brimhall, K. C., & Özbilgin, M. F. 2025. How Do Inclusive Leaders Emerge? A Theory-Based Model. Management Learning, 56(3), 551–569.
Mor-Barak, M. E., & Cherin, D. A. 1998. A Tool to Expand Organizational Understanding of Workforce Diversity: Exploring a Measure of Inclusion-Exclusion. Administration in Social Work, 22(1), 47–64. https://doi.org/10.1300/J147v22n01_04
Peng, X., Tian, X., & Peng, X. 2025. Extending Working Lives: How Age-Inclusive HR Practices Shape the Older Workers’ Willingness to Delay Retirement. Chinese Management Studies.
Schmitt, N. M., Fuchs, A., & Kirch, W. 2008. Mental Health Disorders and Work-Life Balance. In A. Linos & W. Kirch (Eds.), Promoting Health for Working Women (pp. 117–136). Springer New York. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-73038-7_4
Sharma, N., & Sabharwal, M. 2025. Antecedents of an Inclusive Leader in Public Organizations: A Macro and Micro Perspective. Journal of Social Equity and Public Administration, 3(1), 158–172. https://doi.org/10.24926/jsepa.v3i1.5865.
Shinde, S. 2025. From Perceived Inequity to Retention: Leveraging Equity Theory in Contemporary Workforce Management. International Journal of Multidisciplinary, 10(4), 292–300. https://doi.org/10.31305/rrijm.2025.v10.n4.032
Shufutinsky, A., Beach, A., & Chung, K. 2025. Understanding the Evolving Trends of Contemporary Inclusive Leadership Practice: A Corporate Multi-Method Study. Organization Development Journal, 43(2).
Vassou, C., Theocharous, A. L., & Zopiatis, A. 2025. Inclusive Leadership in Hospitality: A Driver of Social Inclusion? EuroMed Journal of Business, 20(2), 415–434. https://doi.org/10.1108/EMJB-08-2023-0208

