Fostering engagement among emotionally exhausted frontline employees in financial services sector. Issue 3 (1st April 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Sahi, Gurjeet Kaur; Roy, Sanjit K.; Singh, Tisha
• Is Part Of: Journal of service theory and practice. Volume 32:Issue 3(2022)
• Page Start: 400
• Page End: 431
• Publication Date: 2022-04-01
• Subjects: Emotional exhaustion -- Frontline employee engagement -- Ethical climate -- Psychological empowerment -- Transformational leadership; Service industries -- Management -- Periodicals; Service industries -- Marketing -- Periodicals; Service industries -- Quality control -- Periodicals; 338.4700068
• DOI: 10.1108/JSTP-08-2021-0175
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2055-6225

Abstract

Abstract : Purpose: This study investigates the role of personal resource (i.e. psychological empowerment) in reducing the negative impact of emotional exhaustion of frontline employees on their engagement. It also examines the moderating effects of ethical climate and transformational leadership in mitigating the negative influence of emotional exhaustion on engagement among frontline service employees (FLEs). Design/methodology/approach: Data were collected from 671 frontline employees from financial services sector. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and hierarchical regression analysis (HRA) were used to test the hypothesized relationships. Findings: Results show that the impact of emotional exhaustion on employee engagement is greatly affected by psychological empowerment. Transformational leadership moderates the negative effects of emotional exhaustion on psychological empowerment, while ethical climate weakens the negative impact of emotional exhaustion on employee engagement. Practical implications: Service firms need to provide enough autonomy to emotionally exhausted frontline employees so that they feel valued. The emotionally exhausted employees can be engaged if they are empowered to discharge their job most effectively and a climate is ensured which can keep them motivated toward accomplishing their targets. A fair and just treatment shall boost their morale to perform better and to strengthen their staying intentions. Originality/value: The novelty of our study lies in examining and fostering engagement among emotionally exhausted FLEs. It shows that job resources at the individual level (i.e. psychological empowerment), team level (i.e. transformational leadership) and organizational level (i.e. ethical climate) can help in encouraging work engagement among emotionally exhausted FLEs.