Identity, Inclusion, and Well-being of employees in Germany, Indonesia, the Netherlands, and South Africa

How others treat people has a significant influence on their sense of identity as well as on their general well-being. These relationships may be considered particularly meaningful at work. People seek inclusion at work, which means that they want to find a balance between both belonging to the organisation and maintaining their independence (their sense of uniqueness). In this study we examine a) the importance of inclusion and identity for well-being at work (i.e. work engagement, burnout, and self-efficacy) and b) whether there are similarities and differences across Western and non-Western contexts. The sample for this study comprises employees from Germany, Indonesia, the Netherlands, and South Africa. They completed the Experiences@Work questionnaire, which contained measures of inclusion, identity (personal, work, gender, ethnic, and religious identities) and well-being (work engagement, burnout and self-efficacy). Multi-group path analyses using AMOS software will be used to assess the relationships between variables. This study will provide insight into how inclusion may be associated with different identity aspects and how these aspects may inform well-being within the context of work. As organisations seek to engage their employees, this study may provide valuable insight into which identity aspects are essential for promoting work engagement, reducing burnout, and enhancing self-efficacy. Also, this study may illuminate what implications identity and inclusion may have the well-being of more established multicultural societies in comparison with societies in transition towards multiculturalism