How Leadership Behaviors Influence Employee Motivation in Multicultural Teams: Evidence from Asia

ABSTRACT: This study examines how leadership behaviors influence employee motivation in multicultural teams within Asian regional hub environments. As multinational organizations increasingly centralize regional functions in Asia, these hubs integrate employees from diverse cultural, national, and professional backgrounds, creating complex relational and hierarchical dynamics that shape motivational experiences. Using the Bangkok regional hub of the Electrolux Group as a case context, this qualitative study draws on in-depth interviews with 32 participants, including both managers and employees, to explore how leadership behaviors are interpreted across roles and cultures. The study is theoretically anchored in relational leadership and Self-Determination Theory, conceptualizing motivation as a socially constructed and context-dependent process rather than an individual trait. Reflexive thematic analysis was employed to examine culturally embedded interpretations of leadership, with particular attention to power dynamics, inclusion, and role-based differences. The analysis identifies five interrelated factors shaping motivation in multicultural teams: leadership behaviors, communication and inclusion, psychological safety, trust, and team diversity. Cross-group analysis reveals broad alignment between employees and managers regarding these motivational drivers, alongside notable differences in emphasis. Employees prioritize clarity, fairness, and feeling valued, while managers emphasize balancing empowerment with accountability and adapting leadership approaches across cultures. The findings reframe motivation as a leadership-mediated relational outcome and extend cross-cultural leadership research by highlighting the culturally contingent nature of empowerment, inclusion, and psychological safety. Practically, the study offers guidance for leaders seeking to strengthen motivation through culturally sensitive and inclusive practices in Asian regional hubs.

KEYWORDS – Asia, communication, employee motivation, leadership, multicultural teams