Linking human resources practices to employee engagement in the hospitality industry: the mediating influences of psychological safety, availability and meaningfulness

Abstract

PurposeDrawing on self-concept theory, this study evaluates the mediating effects of employees' psychological states on the relationship between human resources (HR) practices and employee engagement.Design/methodology/approachThrough random sampling, 434 customer-contact frontline employees from five-star hotels in Malaysia participated in the cross-sectional survey.FindingsThe results produced by the Smart-PLS (partial least squares) indicate that HR practices positively and significantly influence employees' psychological states of safety, meaningfulness and availability. All these psychological states also exert positive influences on employee engagement (organisational and work engagement). Safety and availability mediate the links between HR practices and employee engagement, but not meaningfulness.Practical implicationsHR practices and employees' psychological states are necessary in ensuring positive employee outcomes and improving customer service provision.Originality/valueThe findings contribute to the further extension of self-concept theory and employee engagement by incorporating the mediating roles of employees' psychological states in the relationships between HR practices and employee engagement.研究目的以自我概念理論為依據，本研究擬評估僱員的心理狀態、如何在人力資源做法與員工敬業度之間的聯繫上起著仲介的效應。研究方法透過隨機抽樣法，434名在馬來西亞五星級酒店工作、接觸顧客的一線員工被選參與一個橫斷面調查。研究結果以SmartPLS （偏最小平方）取得的研究結果顯示、人力資源做法正面地影響著員工的安全感、工作給予的意義和感知的組織支援；而且，這些心理狀態，均會對員工的敬業度（對組織的自豪感及對工作的投入）起著正面的影響。另外，安全感和感知的組織支援在人力資源做法與員工敬業度之間的聯繫上、起著仲介之效應；唯工作給予的意義則沒有這個效應。研究的原創性研究結果進一步伸展了自我概念理論及員工敬業度方面的論述，這是由於本研究把員工心理狀態所扮演的中介角色，納入人力資源做法與員工敬業度的聯繫中。研究給予的啓示若要確保積極的員工成果及提供更佳的顧客服務，有效的人力資源做法和正面的員工心理狀態是不可或缺的。