Fuel the service fire The effect of leader humor on frontline hospitality employees' service performance and proactive customer service performance

• Wu, Long-Zeng 
• Ye, Yijiao 
• Cheng, Xuan-Mei 
• Kwan, Ho Kwong 
• Lyu, Yijing 

Indexed by

Scopus ABDC-A

Abstract

Purpose

Drawing　from　self-determination　theory,　this　study　aims　to　examine　the　effect　of　leader　humor　on　frontline　hospitality　employees＇　service　performance　and　proactive　customer　service　performance　(PCSP)　via　harmonious　passion　(HP)　for　work　with　employee　neuroticism　as　the　moderating　mechanism.

Design/methodology/approach

This　study　controlled　for　the　nested　effect　and　tested　all　the　hypotheses　with　Mplus　7.0　using　a　time-lagged　three-wave　survey　of　232　Chinese　supervisor-subordinate　dyads.

Findings

The　results　indicated　that　leader　humor　promotes　frontline　hospitality　employees＇　service　performance　and　PCSP　by　enhancing　their　HP.　Furthermore,　neuroticism　was　shown　to　strengthen　the　direct　impact　of　leader　humor　on　employee　HP　and　its　indirect　impact　on　employee　service　performance　and　employee　PCSP　through　HP.

Originality/value

First,　this　research　contributes　to　the　leader　humor　literature　through　exploring　its　impact　on　the　service　performance　and　PCSP　of　frontline　hospitality　employees.　Second,　this　research　develops　a　new　framework　to　explain　the　leader　humor-employee　service　outcomes　relationship　using　self-determination　theory.　Finally,　the　focus　on　the　moderating　role　of　neuroticism　helps　to　explain　the　＂when＂　question　of　leader　humor.

Keyword

• Harmonious passion
• Leader humor
• Neuroticism
• Proactive customer service performance
• Service performance

Author Community

[Wu, Long-Zeng

Ye, Yijiao; Lyu, Yijing] Xiamen Univ, Sch Management, Xiamen, Peoples R China

[Cheng, Xuan-Mei] Zhejiang Univ Technol, China Inst SMEs, Hangzhou, Peoples R China

[Kwan, Ho Kwong] China Europe Int Business Sch, Dept Org Behav & Human Resource Management, Shanghai, Peoples R China

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