Inclusive Leadership's Impact on Career Sustainability: Understanding the Mediating Role of Thriving at Work in Humanitarian Organizations

Abstract

This study examines the influence of Inclusive Leadership (IL) on Thriving at Work (TW) and Career Sustainability (CS), with a particular focus on the mediating role of thriving in Humanitarian Organizations (HOs). Drawing on Self-Determination Theory (SDT), the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model, and Social Information Processing Theory (SIPT), the research presents IL as a contextual resource that encourages psychological safety, fairness, and openness. By fostering these conditions, IL strengthens employees' vitality and capacity for learning, enabling them to remain adaptable and maintain their careers in demanding environments. Survey data were collected from 264 employees working in both international and local humanitarian organizations, and structural equation modeling (SEM) was applied to test the proposed framework. The results indicate that IL has a positive effect on TW, and that thriving partially mediates the link between IL and CS. This demonstrates the crucial role of thriving in converting Inclusive Leadership behaviors into long-term career outcomes. Theoretically, the study advances leadership and career research by integrating IL, thriving, and sustainability into a unified framework. Practically, it suggests that humanitarian organizations should prioritize leadership development and foster supportive environments that build resilience, promote continuous learning, and enhance employee well-being.