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Leaders who view errors as opportunities to learn, not grounds to criticise, not only make employees feel more psychologically safe at work, but also to perceive their work as more meaningful, according to Australian researchers.

In their paper, Creating meaningful work for employees: The role of inclusive leadership, Edith Cowan University researchers Azadeh Shafaei and Mehran Nejati hypothesise that the positive relationship between inclusive leadership and meaningful work is mediated through psychological safety.

Characteristics of an inclusive leadership style include demonstrating openness, flexibility, and availability; promoting individuals' uniqueness and sense of belonging; and viewing mistakes as opportunities for learning, as opposed to cause for criticism, the academics say...