This empirical study examines the impact of Leaders’ Cultural Intelligence (LCI) on employees’ innovative work behavior, concurrently examining the mediating role of psychological safety in connecting LCI to innovative work behavior. Using survey data gathered from 307 employees in telecommunications contact centers in Pakistan, the research confirms a positive association between leader cultural intelligence and employees’ innovative work behavior. The mediating role of psychological safety further illuminates this relationship. The findings of the study align with prior research, which highlights that employees’ perceptions of a psychologically safe environment encourage risk-taking and foster creative and innovative work behavior. This study provides practical insights for organizations operating in multicultural settings, especially those with diverse cultural teams working together.
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