Customer mistreatment behavior and hotel employee organizational citizenship behavior : The mediating role of perceived organizational support

Purpose This study mainly aims to examine the mediating effect of perceived organizational support (POS) and the moderating effect of locus of control and job autonomy on the relationship between customer mistreatment behavior and organizational citizenship behavior. Design/methodology/approach Through a questionnaire survey of 231 employees and their direct supervisors of five hotels in Guangzhou. This paper analyzed five variables (customer mistreatment, POS, locus of control, job autonomy and organizational citizenship behavior) relationships through a variety of data analysis. Findings Results indicate that customer mistreatment behavior has a negative effect on employees’ organizational citizenship behavior. The relationship between customer mistreatment behavior and employees’ organizational citizenship behavior is partially mediated by employees’ POS. Staffs’ locus of control and job autonomy can modulate the relationship between customers’ mistreatment behavior and POS. Furthermore, the indirect mediating effect of POS on customer mistreatment behavior is revealed. The organizational citizenship behavior linkage is significant only to staff who perceived they have a high level of job autonomy and a high locus of control. Practical implications Hotels are advised to provide organizational support and the management of customer mistreatment behavior so as to reflect their employees’ value, seek service innovation and promote production efficiency in practice. Furthermore, it maintains and promotes operational efficiency for service organizations and means the organization pays more attention to meet the social, emotional and psychological needs of its employees. Originality/value This article reveals the mechanism relationship between customer mistreatment behavior and employee organizational citizenship behavior. First, it defines the concept of customer mistreatment in the hotel industry and enriches the related research. Second, the study, from the perspective of customer mistreatment, has opened up a new view of organizational citizenship behavior research. Third, we built a research model and it is helpful to grasp the inner mechanism between customer mistreatment and employees’ organizational citizenship behavior. Fourth, this research benefits service organizations so as to maintain and improve their operation efficiency. Furthermore, it can have theoretical guidance for service-oriented organizations to develop a harmonious consumption culture and organizational culture.