Well-being and behavior of hotel employees in the context of the current economic crisis

Abstract

There is still a gap of knowledge about the effects of job insecurity derived from the current economic crisis on the behavior and performance of employees in the tourism sector. This study examines the likely impact that job insecurity can have on anxiety and depression among hotel employees, and whether these psychological states, in turn, influence their organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) and task performance. Data from 188 employees were collected in seven hotels (three-to four-star cathegory) in the island of La Palma (Canary Islands, Spain). The results highlight the significant effects of job insecurity on employees' anxiety and depression. In turn, depression negatively affected the predicted organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) but only when directed at the organization as a whole (OCB-O). Contrary to expectations, anxiety increased OCB-O and task performance of employees, in an attempt perhaps of protecting their jobs. The findings confirm that the current economic crisis is significantly affecting hotel employees, affecting negatively their well-being and, through depression, their OCB-O.