When leaders cast shadows: The supervisor-employee-customer triangle of abusive supervision with evidence from the hotel industry

Abstract

Guided by the conservation of resources (COR) theory, this study aims to explore the dynamics between abusive supervision and customer-oriented organizational citizenship behavior (COOCB) within the supervisor-employee-customer triangle. Specifically, this study examines the mediating role of affective commitment and the moderating role of supervisor organizational embodiment in these relationships. The goal is to elucidate how negative supervisory behaviors can impact employee commitment that eventually affect customer experiences. Adopting a cross-sectional research design, data was collected from frontline employees in four- and five-star hotels across India, a context with rich supervisor-employee-customer interactions. Covariance-based structural equation modeling (CB-SEM) was employed to examine the relationships among abusive supervision, affective commitment, supervisor organizational embodiment, and COOCB. This method allows for a comprehensive examination of main (direct), mediation (indirect), and moderation (conditional) effects within the supervisor-employee-customer triangle of abusive supervision. The findings indicate that abusive supervision negatively affects both affective commitment and COOCB. Affective commitment mediates the relationship between abusive supervision and COOCB, suggesting that diminished employee commitment due to negative supervisory practices leads to reduced customer-focused actions. Moreover, the lack of supervisor organizational embodiment exacerbates the negative impact of abusive supervision on COOCB. This indicates that when employees perceive their supervisor as not aligned with or representative of the organization’s values, the harmful effects of abusive supervision are intensified. Therefore, this study contributes by providing empirical evidence on the mediating role of affective commitment and the moderating role of supervisor organizational embodiment in the relationship between abusive supervision and COOCB. Highlighting the detrimental effects of abusive supervision, this study underscores the necessity of addressing harmful supervisory practices to enhance employee commitment and COOCB. The findings advocate for more humane and supportive leadership practices to foster a healthier work environment and improve service quality and customer satisfaction. Despite the seminal supervisor-employee-customer triangle presented, the study remains limited in concepts and contexts, prompting the need for further research.