Enhancing post‐COVID-19 work resilience in hospitality: A micro-level crisis management framework

Abstract

COVID-19 has led to immense impacts on the hospitality sector, putting millions of jobs at risk. The uncertainty has resulted in significant psychological effects on service staff. Developing on micro-level interpersonal interactions between line managers and service staff, this article aims to propose a bottom-up approach to alleviate service staff’s anxiety and enhance their work resilience during and after the pandemic. The proposed conceptual framework synthesised the personal uncertainty constructs, self-determination theory (SDT) and leader-member exchange (LMX) to address the psychological issues that emerged from a prolonged ambiguous and unsettled period. The framework proposes that interpersonal exchanges at the micro-level can strengthen service staff’s intrinsic motivation and resilience. This article offers new insights into crisis management research and practice in the hospitality sector by developing a people-centred approach. At the micro-level, this framework offers a holistic strategy, including a flat team structure, uncertainty-embracing organisational environment, transparent decision-making process and sympathetic behaviours from leaders to facilitate service staff to develop greater coping mechanisms for the unknown future. Furthermore, this framework provides organisations preliminary guidelines to establish a longitudinal preventive strategy to strengthen employees’ work resilience.