Restaurant employees' attitudinal reactions to social distancing difficulties: a multi-wave study
Journal of Service Theory and Practice
ISSN: 2055-6225
Article publication date: 10 February 2022
Issue publication date: 9 March 2022
Abstract
Purpose
Grounded in the job demands–resources (JD-R) theory, this study investigates how the difficulty in social distancing at work, resulting from the COVID-19 crisis, may lead to intention to quit and career regret and how and when these effects may be attenuated.
Design/methodology/approach
Three-wave survey data were collected from 223 frontline service workers in a large restaurant company during the COVID-19 crisis.
Findings
The results show that difficulty in social distancing reduced employees' work engagement, and consequently, increased their turnover intention and career regret. These relationships were moderated by external employability, such that the influence of difficulty in social distancing weakened as external employability increased.
Originality/value
Social distancing measures have been applied across the globe to minimize transmission of COVID-19. However, such measures create a new job demand for service workers who find it difficult to practice social distancing due to the high contact intensity of service delivery. This study identified personal resources that help service workers cope with the demand triggered by COVID-19.
Keywords
Citation
Huo, M.-L., Jiang, Z., Cheng, Z. and Wilkinson, A. (2022), "Restaurant employees' attitudinal reactions to social distancing difficulties: a multi-wave study", Journal of Service Theory and Practice, Vol. 32 No. 2, pp. 302-322. https://doi.org/10.1108/JSTP-08-2021-0180
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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