How does inclusive leadership affect employees’ service adaptive behavior? A regulatory focus perspective

Purpose Frontline employees’ service adaptive behavior is pivotal for restaurants to effectively meet customers’ dynamic demands. Grounded in regulatory focus theory, this study aims to investigate the impact of inclusive leadership on employees’ service adaptive behavior, the mediating roles of promotion and prevention foci in this relationship and the moderating role of organizational learning climate. Design/methodology/approach The data was collected using a three-wave survey with 357 frontline service employees in 19 full-service restaurants. Hierarchical multiple regression was used to analyze the data. Findings Results show that inclusive leadership promotes employees’ service adaptive behavior through promotion and prevention foci. Additionally, the organizational learning climate amplifies the impacts of inclusive leadership on promotion and prevention foci. Research limitations/implications The findings offer practical value for service organizations by showing that fostering inclusive leadership and a strong organizational learning climate can jointly promote frontline employees’ service adaptive behavior. Originality/value This study adopts a regulatory focus perspective to explain the effect of inclusive leadership on service adaptive behavior, revealing the mediating roles of promotion and prevention foci and the moderating role of organizational learning climate, thereby offering valuable insights into the motivational processes underlying this relationship.