Emotion-rule dissonance and job satisfaction: A moderated mediation model of work engagement and hotel segment

Abstract

Traditional hospitality and tourism literature has underestimated the importance of hotel segment (resort hotels vs. urban hotels) for the effects of emotional-rule dissonance in frontline employees. The present study analyses the relationships among emotion-rule dissonance, work engagement, job satisfaction, and hotel segment through a moderated mediation model. A sample of 131 frontline employees of Spanish hotels completed self-reported measures at two time points. Results revealed that the effect of emotion-rule dissonance on job satisfaction through lower work engagement was only significant in urban hotels, suggesting that emotion-rule dissonance was more harmful for urban hotel employees. This paper provides new insights into the way emotion-rule dissonance decreases job satisfaction and offers advice for managers to enable them to prevent its detrimental impact, particularly in urban hotels.