Current workplace issues and behaviours in tourism and hospitality: moderating role of empowering leadership

This study investigated the antecedents and consequences of social intergroup behaviours–relationships in the tourism workplace and job satisfaction. Social exchange theory (SET) was adopted as a framework. Primary data were collected from a valid 980 full-time employees of Egyptian tourism firms (travel agents and hotels). Conceptual model analysis was carried out by PLS-SEM. The findings showed that on the contrary to workplace emotional intelligence behaviour, deviant behaviours (bullying, incivility, stress and gossiping) influenced negatively employee's satisfaction. Empowering leadership moderates the relationships between workplace deviant behaviours, emotional behaviour, job satisfaction and firm performance. This study provides a significant SET contribution to the human resource management literature in managing tourism and hospitality workplace behaviours through exploring the positive effects of empowering leadership on both firm performance and employee's job satisfaction. The SET contribution from the validated results is useful for academics, tourism managers and industry leaders, society and public psych-policy makers, and the tourism firm's economy. Additional contributions of managerial and theoretical implications and limitations are discussed.