Organizational socialization is a dynamic developmental process in which employees transition from being outsiders to becoming insiders of an organization, acquiring an organizational identity through learning (Fisher, 1986, as cited in Ashforth et al., 2007; Schein, 2003; Yan et al., 2018). Through organizational socialization, employees gradually learn job requirements, internalize values, and learn and/or enhance professional skills and behaviors (Louis, 1980). While previous research has typically focused on employees’ passive acceptance of organizational socialization strategies (Vancouver et al., 2010), studies have also shown that new employees can actively adapt to their new environment, increasing their familiarity with their new role (C. P. Li et al., 2014). Louis (1980) defined proactive organizational socialization (POS) behavior as new employees accelerating their organizational adaptation by interpreting their environment and actively searching for the organizational insights they need to make up for the lack of information from superiors and colleagues.

 

Previous research has found that human resource management practices play a crucial role in shaping new employees’ socialization process (Y. F. Wang & Zhu, 2012). Young new employees exhibit distinct psychological and behavioral traits that influence both their work attitudes and performance (Y. P. Li & Xu, 2013). Therefore, the adoption of inclusive human resource management practices may be necessary to address these differences (Fang et al., 2019). Employees experience these practices while working at an organization, which helps develop their overall sense of belongingness within the organization, and can help to generate active participation in integrating with the organization’s culture (Fang et al., 2019; Nishii & Mayer, 2009; Shore et al., 2011).

 

Moreover, the traditional long-term, stable employment relationship between organizations and individuals has gradually transformed into a more flexible short-term arrangement (Ni & Huang, 2021). As a result, the psychological contract between new young employees and organizations has weakened, posing significant challenges to organizational socialization (L. Wang & Liu, 2019). The new generation of youth places a greater emphasis on the pursuit of self-worth compared to previous generations, exhibiting what is known as a protean career orientation (PCO; Briscoe et al., 2006). A PCO will influence new employees’ work attitudes and behavior (Gao et al., 2018). Therefore, it can be assumed that a PCO will affect the process of employees’ organizational socialization. We developed a chain mediation model underpinned by social cognitive theory to examine how inclusive human resource management practices affect POS among young new employees.

Inclusive human resource management practices (HRMP) aim to foster trust and support among employees, while stimulating proactive behavior (Fang et al., 2019). Scholars have offered diverse interpretations of inclusive HRMP, perhaps due to the cultural disparities between China and the West. For example, Fang et al. (2019) proposed a distinctive interpretation involving six dimensions: attraction of diversified talents, utilizing talents to their strengths, tolerance for mistakes and encouraging suggestions, emphasis on employee training, strong attention to interdepartmental communication, and a culture of fairness. These six dimensions guided the conceptual framework for the present study.

 

Inclusive HRMP can foster a sense of fairness and respect in employees by creating an inclusive culture, as well as promoting employee autonomy and initiative through equitable and mutually beneficial management strategies (Nishii & Mayer, 2009; Shore et al., 2011). According to social cognitive theory, the external environment also partially determines an individual’s cognition and influences their behavior (Bandura, 1986; Ostroff & Kozlowski, 1992). Individuals compare their inputs and outputs with those of other colleagues within the organization, perceiving respect and fairness based upon these comparisons, which then determines their subsequent behavior (Carmeli et al., 2010). Through a series of fair management measures, organizations can make new employees feel like they are treated equally (Fang et al., 2019). This perception of fairness encourages positive emotions within these employees, which may lead them to proactively adjust their attitude and behavior when integrating into the organization.

 

Inclusive HRMP also fosters a sense of fairness and respect in talented employees by allowing for mistakes and encouraging suggestions, which increases their confidence in actively participating in organizational activities (Nishii & Mayer, 2009; Ye et al., 2019). New employees from younger generations want to express their opinions and participate in organizational decision making (Wu, 2020). An inclusive environment reduces the psychological cost of trial-and-error activities (Carmeli et al., 2010). This may increase employees’ enthusiasm for searching for organizational information and participating in organizational activities without the fear of being ridiculed if their behavior does not meet organizational norms.

 

Inclusive HRMP can also promote stronger relationships between employees through strong interdepartmental communication, encouraging POS behaviors, for example, seeking information, participating in activities, and providing feedback (Fang et al., 2019). New employees typically have higher expectations for an engaging and harmonious work environment (Wu, 2020). Therefore, cross-departmental communication may cultivate a positive atmosphere and foster colleague relationships, increasing newcomers’ motivation to integrate into their new workplace.

 

Inclusive HRMP acknowledges the intrinsic value of employees, fosters diversity and inclusion, and enhances a sense of belonging through diversified recruitment strategies (Nishii & Mayer, 2009; Shore et al., 2011). Inclusive HRMP also attracts and helps to maximize the potential of diverse talents (Fang et al, 2019; Xu & Zhang, 2019). New employees typically exhibit heightened self-actualization, possess strong self-awareness, and seek recognition and acceptance from their organization (C. Y. Wang et al., 2021). Therefore, when an organization embraces the diverse strengths of new employees and effectively harnesses them, newcomers may experience a greater sense of group affiliation and validation, thereby enhancing their willingness to actively engage within their organization. Thus, we proposed the following hypothesis:

Hypothesis 1: Inclusive human resource management practices will have a positive influence on the proactive organizational socialization of young new employees.

According to Jansen et al. (2014), simply acknowledging the uniqueness of group members is not enough to create a truly inclusive climate. In fact, focusing too much on uniqueness may unintentionally exclude cultural groups that are important to an organization (Plaut et al., 2011). Therefore, building upon Shore et al.’s (2011) concept of inclusive climate, which includes a sense of both belonging and individuality, Jansen et al. (2014) replaced the term “authenticity” with “uniqueness” to measure the perception of an inclusive climate. In line with this conceptualization, we examined two dimensions of inclusive climate: belonging and authenticity.

 

Inclusive HRMP have been found to significantly influence the perception of an inclusive climate by young employees (Shore et al., 2009). By leveraging individual strengths, inclusive HRMP enable employees to effectively demonstrate their personal value, thereby fostering a sense of belonging and authenticity (Xu & Zhang, 2018). Moreover, inclusive HRMP boosts employee confidence and enhances participation in organizational decision making by permitting mistakes and encouraging employee suggestions (Carmeli et al., 2010). In such scenarios, employees feel supported by their organization, leading to heightened perceptions of belonging and authenticity (Xu & Zhang, 2019). The implementation of inclusive HRMP facilitates the establishment of interemployee relationships by promoting departmental communication (Fang et al., 2019), thus helping to develop harmonious interpersonal dynamics within an organization. By providing opportunities for such communication (Xu & Zhang, 2019), organizations demonstrate care and concern toward their employees, ultimately enhancing their sense of belonging. Young employees value fair and just management, and inclusive HRMP can make these employees feel respected within their organization (Shore et al., 2011), helping to increase their sense of belonging. Inclusive HRMP facilitates the full utilization of employees’ talents without them worrying that they will be treated differently (Chen et al., 2017), which subsequently enhances their perception of authenticity. Thus, these practices may provide comprehensive support and protection for the personal development of young new employees, fostering gratitude and attachment to their organization, and strengthening their sense of belonging. Simultaneously, inclusive HRMP can encourage employees to cultivate their unique value while remaining true to themselves, which also helps to improve their perception of authenticity. Accordingly, we proposed the following hypothesis:

Hypothesis 2: Inclusive human resource management practices will have a positive influence on the perception of an inclusive climate among young new employees.

Psychological safety refers to an individual’s perception of security when expressing themself, without fearing negative consequences toward their status or image within an organization (Kahn, 1990). Young  new employees are sensitive and vulnerable (Zhao et al., 2019). They seek self-actualization, recognition from the organization, and equitable treatment (Ni & Huang, 2021). When entering a new workplace, individuals may struggle to fully comprehend and accurately understand their surroundings, due to the unfamiliarity of work roles, interpersonal networks, and work environments, contributing to psychological insecurity (Lissitsa & Laor, 2021; Zhao et al., 2019). Inclusive HRMP prioritizes fairness and mutually beneficial outcomes, which can help new employees to perceive that an organization has a commitment to justice (Fang et al., 2019). Therefore, newcomers may feel safer that they will not be discriminated against based on differences in background or values, which may help them to feel psychologically safe. When an organization is more tolerant of mistakes and open to suggestions, this enables employees to speak freely without fear of punishment, which can help to foster a sense of psychological safety (Carmeli et al., 2010). Inclusive HRMP emphasize diverse talent acquisition, leveraging employee strengths, and embracing individual differences (Fang et al., 2019). Employees can feel recognized and valued, not discriminated against based on their personal characteristics (Chen et al., 2017; Fang et al., 2019), thereby improving their sense of psychological safety. Inclusive HRMP promote departmental exchange, which facilitates the sharing of information among employees from different departments, helping them to enhance and broaden their professional knowledge (Chen et al., 2017; Fang et al., 2019). This subsequently fosters a sense of organizational trust and support, cultivating psychological safety among young employees (Zhang et al., 2015). Accordingly, we proposed the following hypothesis:

Hypothesis 3: Inclusive human resource management practices will have a positive influence on the psychological safety of young new employees.

According to social cognition theory, situational stimuli within an organization influence individual cognition and subsequent behavior (Su & Liu, 2018). The perception of an inclusive climate can help to promote perceptions of authenticity and a sense of belonging within an organization (Jansen et al., 2014). A strong sense of belonging and organizational identity are crucial factors that enable employees to actively engage in organizational activities alongside other proactive behaviors related to organizational socialization (Collins & Smith, 2006; Shore et al., 2011). When these employees perceive greater authenticity from their organization, they are more likely to develop trust, attachment, and a sense of belonging to the organization (Jansen et al., 2014). Thus, this sense of belonging may help to encourage self-discipline and taking initiative, even within difficult situations. Employees with a strong sense of belonging are more willing to share information (Avery et al., 2007; Ely & Thomas, 2001), reconcile interpersonal relationships (Z. B. Li & Chen, 2015), and exchange dialogue with team members (Z. B. Li & Chen, 2015). This subsequently helps to promote interpersonal trust and better communication (Collins & Smith, 2006; Ensari & Miller, 2006).

 

While seeking a sense of belonging, young employees also desire recognition for their unique contributions and an ability to express their authentic selves within an organization (Jansen et al., 2014). An inclusive climate can help to foster an environment whereby individuals can maintain their distinctiveness and respect each other’s unique identities (Shore et al., 2011), in turn encouraging group members to be more authentic (Jansen et al., 2014). As a result, organizational respect and recognition can help to strengthen young employees’ psychological connection with their organization, promoting positive self-affirmation, which can enhance their willingness to actively participate in socialization. Accordingly, we proposed the following hypothesis:

Hypothesis 4: Perception of inclusive climate will mediate the relationship between inclusive human resource management practices and proactive organizational socialization among young new employees.

According to social cognition theory, individual behavior is influenced by various factors including cognition, the environment, and psychology (Bandura, 1986). Edmondson (1999) found higher levels of psychological safety to be positively related to greater work enthusiasm. When young employees perceive a high sense of psychological safety, they are more likely to take initiative in unfamiliar environments and participate more in organizational learning and activities (Yoo, 2017). Psychological safety serves as a foundation for learning behavior (Edmondson, 1999). Individuals with a heightened sense of psychological safety are more inclined to learn (Edmondson, 1999), since they do not fear being punished for mistakes during the organizational learning process. Furthermore, when employees perceive their work environment to be safe, they are more likely to actively cultivate positive interpersonal relationships and share information and knowledge with colleagues (Siemsen et al., 2009). N. Li and Yan (2007) demonstrated that higher levels of psychological safety enhance employees’ focus on job tasks and increase the time and energy invested; as a result, these employees engage in more proactive social behavior. Accordingly, we proposed the following hypothesis:

Hypothesis 5: Psychological safety will mediate the relationship between inclusive human resource management practices and proactive organizational socialization among young new employees.

Young employees are more sensitive and vulnerable than are established employees, and they display a strong desire to realize their self-worth and obtain recognition from their organization (Ni & Huang, 2021). They are prone to experiencing confusion and emotional anxiety when entering a new job role, interpersonal network, or work environment, resulting in psychological insecurity (Zhu et al., 2016). Younger employees’ perception and interpretation of an organizational environment will significantly influence their assessment of psychological safety (Su & Liu, 2018). First, a more inclusive workforce results in young new employees perceiving respect from an organization toward individuals with diverse characteristics (Nishii & Mayer, 2009; Shore et al., 2011). This fosters an environment where they can leverage their unique strengths and values without concerns about being discriminated against, thus enhancing their sense of psychological safety (Carmeli et al., 2010). Second, the strong sense of belonging derived from an inclusive climate can enhance trust and connection between organizational members, leading to improved interpersonal relationships and support networks (Fang et al., 2019). This subsequently helps young people to reduce fears of being ridiculed and having negative interactions with colleagues, thus substantially reinforcing their sense of psychological safety (Carmeli & Gittell, 2009; Siemsen, 2009). Accordingly, we proposed the following hypotheses:

Hypothesis 6: Perception of an inclusive climate will be positively related to psychological safety among young new employees.

Hypothesis 7: Inclusive climate perception and psychological safety will act as chain mediators of the relationship between inclusive human resource management practices and proactive organizational socialization among new employees.

Young employees have a strong need for self-realization and personal interest (C. Y. Wang et al., 2021), desire to be positive and optimistic (Lissitsa & Laor, 2021), and want to pursue self-achievement (Ni & Huang, 2021), thus showing the characteristics of a PCO (Briscoe et al., 2006). At the same time, Briscoe et al. (2006) stated that a PCO emphasizes individual rather than organizational drive because it is the tendency to choose independently based on personal values, knowledge, and interpersonal relationships. Therefore, this study analyzed two dimensions of PCO: self-directed and values-driven.

 

Employees with a self-directed career orientation tend to independently manage their career direction and behaviors during the career development process, defining their own career goals and taking initiative in making career decisions (Briscoe et al., 2006). Therefore, when young new employees feel that the organization is inclusive and psychologically safe, those who are self-directed may be willing to stay in the organization and socialize more actively. In contrast, young new employees with low self-orientation are less willing to control their career direction and even if an organization encourages these employees to be themselves and feel psychological safe, the employees are less willing to fulfill their organizational obligations, thus reducing their attachment to the organization and reducing POS behavior (Briscoe et al., 2006; Hall, 2004)

 

A values-driven career orientation refers to the tendency of individual employees to seek career development using their individual values, with psychological achievement being the primary goal, and to use internal values to evaluate career goals and make career decisions (Briscoe et al., 2006; Hall, 2004). Employees with a values-driven career orientation actively compare the values of themselves and the organization, and when individuals identify with the organization, they are more likely to perceive the organization positively. Accordingly, employees with a high values-driven career orientation may more actively adapt to the organization, especially where they perceive an inclusive organizational climate and feel psychological safe. In contrast, employees with a low career orientation in values-driven organizations may have higher turnover intention, thus reducing their organizational socialization behavior.

Hypothesis 8: A protean career orientation will moderate the mediating effect of psychological safety, such that the higher the protean career orientation, the stronger will be the mediating effect of psychological safety.

 

The research framework is shown in Figure 1.

We selected 55 large high-tech enterprises, primarily from East China, and contacted their human resources departments, requesting their assistance in inviting new staff members to participate in the survey. We defined young employees as being born after 1980 and new employees as having been at the company for less than 30 days, and required participants to be both young and new.

 

To mitigate potential common method bias (Podsakoff et al., 2003) we utilized a longitudinal approach, collecting data over three phases. During Phase 1, we assessed perceived inclusive HRMP as an organizational-level variable. In Phase 2, conducted 4 weeks later, we collected data on personal characteristics, inclusive climate perception, psychological safety, and PCO. Four weeks after this, in Phase 3, we collected individual-level data regarding POS.

 

Out of the initial 440 questionnaires collected during Phase 1, 380 were deemed valid, resulting in an effective rate of return of 86.36%. In Phase 2 we collected 393 valid questionnaires. In Phase 3, 295 surveys met the validity criteria (filled out completely, including nicknames and company abbreviations, and not filled out with malicious intent), leading to an effective response rate of 74.68%. After excluding invalid responses, we successfully matched 288 valid questionnaires from Phases 1, 2, and 3. See Table 1 for the demographic data of participants.

We sourced all measures from previous studies and slightly modified them to fit our research context. We performed back-translation from English to Chinese to ensure that the original meaning of the items was preserved. Items were rated on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree).

 

We measured inclusive HRMP using 28 items from Fang et al. (2019), which were divided across six dimensions: attracting diversified talents (three items, e.g., “Enterprises introduce excellent talents through multiple channels across identity, geography, and other limitations”), utilizing talents to their strengths (five items, e.g., “The company is good at identifying the strengths of each employee”), tolerance for mistakes and encouraging suggestions (seven items, e.g., “My leaders are good at listening to employees’ good suggestions and ideas”), emphasis on employee training (three items, e.g., “Enterprises attach importance to the investment of staff training resources”), strong attention to interdepartmental communication (five items, e.g., “Leaders encourage employees cross-departmental communication and training”), and fair culture (e.g., five items, “Companies are able to take into account the needs and interests of individual employees”).

We measured proactive organizational socialization using 22 items adapted from Ashford and Black (1996), taking into consideration the unique characteristics of Chinese employees (Tian, 2013). This measure comprises six dimensions: information search (four items, e.g., “I will strive to understand the organizational structure of the company”), feedback seeking (four items, e.g., “I always collect feedback about my performance after I complete a task”), negotiation for work changes (four items, e.g., “I will negotiate job changes with supervisors or colleagues”), relationship building (five items, e.g., “I will try to build a good relationship with my boss”), participation in collective activities (four items, e.g., “I will take part in the social event organized by the company”), and positive self-suggestion (five items, e.g., “I will try to see my situation as an opportunity rather than a threat”).

 

We measured inclusive climate perception with 16 items from Jansen et al. (2014), examining both perceived organizational belonging (eight items, e.g., “Organizations give me a sense of belonging”) and perceived organizational authenticity (eight items, e.g., “Organizations encourage me to be myself”).

 

We measured psychological safety using five items from N. Li and Yan (2007) who translated into Chinese three items from May et al. (2004) and two items from Edmonson (1999). A sample item is “I express my true thoughts in my work; I am not worried that expressing my true thoughts will be detrimental to myself.”

We measured PCO using 14 items from Briscoe et al. (2006), which span two dimensions: self-directed career orientation (eight items, e.g., “What I believe is beneficial to my career is more important than what the company believes is beneficial to my career”) and value-driven career orientation (six items, e.g., “When the company asked me to do something I didn't agree with, I persisted in my own values”).

We used SPSS 23.0 to analyze of the means, standard deviations, correlations, and reliabilities of each scale. We conducted an exploratory factor analysis to test the scales’ composite reliability and calculated Cronbach’s alphas to evaluate internal consistency. The results in Table 2 show that the Cronbach’s alpha values ranged between .802 and .959, and composite reliability scores ranged between .768 and .931, which indicates acceptable reliability.

This study used two methods to check for common method bias. First, we used Harman’s single-factor test. The first factor before rotation explained only 34.06% of the total variance, which is below the 40% threshold. Second, we used the unmeasured latent construct method. The fit of the four-factor model with the addition of the common method factor was not significantly optimized compared to the five-factor model, χ²/df = 1.33, comparative fit index = .974, Tucker–Lewis index = .972, root-mean-square error of approximation = .033. These results indicated no serious problem with common method bias in this study (see Table 3).

Average variance extracted (AVE) values were all greater than .50, showing acceptable convergent validity. We used Mplus 8.3 to calculate the correlation coefficients and square roots of AVE. All AVE values were greater than the corresponding correlations (see Table 4), showing the scales had good convergent and discriminant validity.

We calculated intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) as indicators to measure the feasibility of multilevel analysis. Table 5 shows that the value of ICC(1) was greater than .06, and that of ICC(2) was greater than .70, indicating significant differences in POS between the groups. The r_wg of inclusive HRMP was greater than .70, making a multilevel analysis appropriate for our study.

Table 6 shows the hypothesis testing results for the multilevel analysis model. Specifically, inclusive HRMP had a positive influence on the POS of new employees, supporting Hypothesis 1. Inclusive HRMP also had a positive influence on the perception of an inclusive climate and psychological safety, supporting Hypotheses 2 and 3. Inclusive climate perception had a positive influence on psychological safety, which supported Hypothesis 6.

The results of a mediation analysis showed that the estimated value was 0.08, p < .05, 95% confidence interval (CI) [0.01, 0.16], demonstrating that the perception of an inclusive climate had a significant mediating effect on the relationship between inclusive HRMP and POS, supporting Hypothesis 4 (see Table 7). In addition, psychological safety significantly mediated the relationship between inclusive HRMP and POS, estimate = 0.14, p < .05, 95% CI [0.06, –0.21]; thus, Hypothesis 5 was supported. Finally, the estimate of inclusive climate perception and psychological safety as chain mediators of the relationship between inclusive HRMP and new employees’ POS was 0.24, p < .05, 95% CI [0.13, 0.34], indicating that the inclusive climate perception and psychological safety played a significant mediating role in the relationship between inclusive HRMP and POS, thus supporting Hypothesis 7.

When considering psychological safety as a mediating variable, we observed significant differences in both indirect and total effects for high compared to low PCO (see Tables 8 and 9, and Figure 2). Specifically, for new employees with a high PCO, their perception of an inclusive climate significantly affected POS via psychological safety. However, among employees with a low PCO, the effect was weaker.

 

PCO also moderated the effect of psychological safety on the relationship between inclusive HRMP and POS. For new employees with a high PCO, inclusive HRMP had a significant influence on POS via psychological safety, while for employees with a low PCO, the influence was weaker. Thus, Hypothesis 8 was supported.

The findings of this study supported Hypothesis 1, showing that inclusive HRMP had a positive influence on POS among young new employees. When organizations implement inclusive HRMP, young new employees perceive inclusiveness, which enhances their work enthusiasm to actively integrate into the organization (Fang et al., 2019).

 

In addition, inclusive HRMP positively influenced the psychological safety of young new employees, as well as their perception of an inclusive climate, thus supporting Hypotheses 2 and 3. Inclusive HRMP reduced employees’ psychological stress and improved their behavioral risk assessment (Edmondson, 1999), thereby enhancing their psychological safety and tendency toward POS. Inclusive HRMP embed the concept of inclusiveness into management practices, so that employees can perceive an inclusive climate in the organization (Chen et al., 2017; Fang et al., 2019).

 

In addition, the test results supported Hypothesis 4, showing HRMP shaped members’ attitudes, behaviors, and interactions through creating an organizational climate. This is consistent with the findings of Shore et al. (2011). Under the perception of an inclusive climate, new employees experience a sense of belongingness and authenticity within the organization (Xu & Zhang, 2018); therefore, they are more willing to actively engage in organizational socialization behaviors. When employees perceive their organization as safe, it reflects their sense of psychological safety. Our results supported Hypothesis 5 and also align with Edmonson’s (1999) finding that employees with higher levels of perceived psychological safety are more likely to demonstrate initiative and participation behaviors.

 

Moreover, Hypotheses 6 and 7 were further supported by examining the chain mediation effects. We found that employees’ level of psychological safety was closely associated with situational factors within organizations, which is consistent with the findings of Su and Liu (2018). Therefore, it can be assumed that an inclusive climate fosters an environment where individuals can fully utilize their strengths and values, enabling them to freely express their authentic selves. This, in turn, enhances their sense of psychological safety and encourages them to share information without fear (Edmondson, 1999). Our results suggest that when employees feel a greater level of psychological safety, they are more willing to take risks to proactively engage in the organizational socialization process.

 

Last, this study found that a PCO played a moderating role in the relationships between employees’ perception of an inclusive climate and their POS, and between employees’ perception of inclusive HRMP and their POS, supporting Hypothesis 8. When young new employees with a PCO perceive organizational tolerance and experience psychological safety, they can take control of their own career direction. When they recognize goals that align with their values within an inclusive environment, they exhibit proactive behaviors and demonstrate initiative for effective self-organization and socialization (Hall, 2004). Conversely, young new employees with low PCO are unwilling to take charge of their own career paths. Even if the organization encourages them to express themselves freely and provides sufficient psychological safety (Briscoe et al., 2006; Hall, 2004), these individuals lack the motivation or determination to undertake organizational socialization by themselves.

This study makes several theoretical contributions to research regarding the factors influencing employees’ POS. While scholars have often analyzed organizational socialization strategies in organizational context studies, they have tended to overlook the influence of HRMP. Since HRMP are an important means of adjusting employee behavior and attitudes, inclusive HRMP play a crucial role in promoting POS behavior among younger generations entering an organization. Accordingly, this study analyzed the situational effects of inclusive HRMP on younger people’s POS, providing theoretical contributions to this area of research. Further enriching and improving the literature on inclusive HRMP, it is necessary to better understand its important situational variable status in inclusive research theory. Conducting theoretical and empirical studies on inclusive HRMP has significant academic significance and will also help to promote the development of the field of inclusive organizational research, further perfecting and applying context-related theories of inclusive HRMP.

This study offers guidance for organizations to implement effective organizational socialization management through the adoption of inclusive HRMP and proactive facilitation of social relationships among young employees. By leveraging inclusive HRMP, organizations can positively influence the perception of inclusiveness and psychological safety among their employees, thereby increasing the subjective initiative and creativity of their human capital, while also activating employees’ proactive engagement in organizational socialization (Fang et al., 2019; Nishii & Mayer, 2009; Ye et al., 2019). In addition, the chain mediating effect of perceived inclusive climate and psychological safety indicates that employees’ psychological safety is closely related to organizational situational factors. Organizations should create an inclusive climate for employees and provide a foundation of psychological safety. When implementing management strategies, organizations should focus on enhancing employees’ sense of psychological safety. This will make employees more confident, open, and proactive in building friendly relationships with other members, sharing information and knowledge without excessive worrying about potential negative impacts and threats from the external environment. Furthermore, the moderating effect of a PCO suggests that in rapidly changing career environments, contemporary young people increasingly value self-management and the pursuit of self-worth in their careers, demonstrating a PCO. Personal career choices are based on individual values and a tendency toward autonomous choice, reinforcing self-awareness in career development.

Future research could further explore POS at different levels of the organization. First, at the organizational level studies could examine how inclusive HRMP influence POS among young employees, considering factors including organizational structure, interpersonal relationships, and task difficulty as boundary conditions. Second, at the individual level studies could focus on personality traits and positive emotions, to better understand how inclusive HRMP influences POS among young employees. Additionally, specialized investigations could expand upon employee attributes by studying different categories of employees, for example job-hoppers or job-changing individuals, to explore their POS behaviors.

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