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Title: Supervisor social support and disability inclusion: examining mediation and moderation in employee performance

Authors: Habil Slade; Mariam Sohail; Awais Ahmad; Faisal Sheraz

Addresses: Arab Open University, A'ali, Bahrain ' University of Doha for Science and Technology, Doha, Qatar ' Iqra National University, Peshawar, Pakistan ' Iqra National University, Peshawar, Pakistan

Abstract: The study explores the impact of supervisor's social support on performance of employees with disabilities in a Pakistani setting. It also examines how climate for psychological safety and stigma by association moderate the relationship. Furthermore, the study explores the indirect impact of leader-member exchange as a mediator. The analysis was based on data obtained from 441 paired responses of employees with disabilities (EWDs) and their supervisors working in different organisations, using PLS-SEM. The results indicate that a positive direct and indirect effect exists between supervisor's social support and performance of EWDs, mediated by leader-member exchange. Moreover, the relationship between supervisor's social support and performance of EWDs is strongly moderated by climate for psychological safety and stigma by association.

Keywords: supervisor's social support; employees with disabilities; EWDs; leader-member exchange; LMX; stigma by association; SBA; climate for psychological safety; CPS.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBIR.2026.154616

International Journal of Business Innovation and Research, 2026 Vol.40 No.8, pp.1 - 27

Received: 15 Dec 2025
Accepted: 29 Apr 2026
Published online: 07 Jul 2026 *