Role of empowering leadership as a mediator between HPWPs and Gen Y employee engagement: evidence from Indian hotels

Abstract

Purpose

This study evaluated the bundled impact of high performance work practices (HPWPs) on Generation Y (Gen Y) employee engagement (EE) while considering empowering leadership (EL) as a mediator.

Design/methodology/approach

The data for the study are received from 404 Gen Y frontline service employees from three to five star Indian hotels and examined using structural equation modeling.

Findings

Gen Y employees' perception of HPWPs directly explains their engagement, and EL partially mediates the link between HPWPs and Gen Y EE.

Research limitations/implications

This study suggests managers to gain from implementing HPWPs and their impact on Gen Y engagement to boost their organizational performance.

Practical implications

This study suggests managers to gain from implementing HPWPs and their impact on Gen Y EE to boost their employee and hotel's performance.

Originality/value

The present research is one of the few attempts to study how HPWPs can engage the Gen Y cohort in the workplace, especially in developing countries (i.e. India).

Citation

Singh, R. and Sihag, P. (2024), "Role of empowering leadership as a mediator between HPWPs and Gen Y employee engagement: evidence from Indian hotels", Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights, Vol. 7 No. 4, pp. 2287-2309. https://doi.org/10.1108/JHTI-01-2023-0022