Introduction: As organizations strive for more inclusive workplaces, understanding what discourages the participation and flourishing of employees with disabilities is critically important. Recent estimates suggest that while over one billion people worldwide have a disability, this diverse community is among the most under-employed and disproportionately subjected to unfair treatment.


Purpose: When it comes to the welfare of employees with disabilities, the role of leadership -and passive leadership in particular- has received little attention. Thus, we asked: What impact does the absence of leadership from a superior have on the well-being and retention of employees with disabilities? Drawing on social safety theory, we conceptualized passive leadership as a social threat that can trigger feelings of stigma, which may lead to loneliness and turnover intentions. We also explored whether close friendships in the workplace could buffer these effects.


Method: An online survey was used. Recruited via Prolific, 233 employees (M age = 40.53 years, range = 19-68 years; 43.8% women) from the U.K, U.S.A, and Canada who self-identified as having a disability (16.4% visible; 73.3% non-visible; 10.3% both) participated.


Results: A moderated mediation model was analyzed. Passive leadership was a cue for social exclusion, evoking feelings of stigma that led to increased loneliness. Passive leadership also led to turnover intentions. Additionally, workplace friendships emerged as a buffer against these negative effects.


Conclusions: This study highlights the negative impact of passive leadership on employees with disabilities and is the first to apply social safety theory to both areas of scholarship. From an equity, diversity and inclusion perspective, it is vital to recognize how leaders may work against or unintentionally undermine the integration, retention, and flourishing of those with disabilities. From a practical perspective, results highlight two critical areas of focus for intervention -leadership behaviour and the cultivation of workplace friendships.