Group Identity and Workplace Cohesion
This study examined the relationship between group identity and workplace cohesion within multicultural organisations, focusing on the mediating role of psychological safety and the moderating influence of inclusive leadership. Guided by Social Identity Theory, Self-Categorisation Theory, and the Common Ingroup Identity Model, the research adopted a quantitative cross-sectional design involving 142 employees from five culturally diverse organisations in Lagos, Nigeria. Standardised and validated scales were used to measure group identity, psychological safety, inclusive leadership, and workplace cohesion. Results indicated that employees with stronger identification with their organisation reported higher levels of both task and social cohesion. Psychological safety partially mediated this relationship, suggesting that identity fosters cohesion more effectively when employees feel safe to express themselves. Inclusive leadership further amplified the positive association between group identity and cohesion, underscoring the importance of leadership in shaping inclusive and cohesive organisational climates. The findings provide empirical support for the extension of social identity frameworks to multicultural organisational contexts. Findings also demonstrate that cohesion emerges not from the absence of difference but from the effective integration of diverse identities through inclusion and psychological safety.