Work stressors and job outcomes: an empirical investigation of frontline service employees in the Indian hospitality industry

PurposeThe study aims to investigate the relationship between work stressors (abusive supervision and dysfunctional customer behaviour) and several job outcomes such as service sabotage, job satisfaction and intention to quit among frontline employees in the Indian hospitality industry. It also explores the mediating role of emotional exhaustion explaining the indirect effect between the work stressors and the job outcomes.Design/methodology/approachThis is a multi-wave (data collected at two time points) cross-sectional survey study. In order to test the study hypotheses, the study draws responses from frontline employees working in several hotels and restaurants in India. The final sample of 274 was analysed using SmartPLS and Statistical Product and Service Solutions (SPSS).FindingsResults report that both the work stressors were significantly related to the job outcomes in the direction suggested in the literature. Also, the indirect effect between the work stressors and the job outcomes via emotional exhaustion were found to be significant.Originality/valueThe present study makes two unique contributions to the extant literature; first, it conceptualizes and empirically tests the pernicious impact of multiple work stressors like abusive supervisor and dysfunctional customer behaviour on the job outcomes of frontline hospitality industry employees. Second, it is the only study to investigate the relationship between the two work stressors and service sabotage in the Indian hospitality industry.