Challenging or hindering? Understanding the daily effects of work stressors on hotel employees’ work engagement and job satisfaction

Abstract

In this daily diary study, the effects of hindrance and challenge stressors on the daily job satisfaction and work engagement of frontline hotel employees were examined. Daily coworker support was also investigated as a moderator of these relationships. The study was conducted using a within-person approach. The hypotheses were tested in a sample of 65 full-time frontline hotel employees in the United States. Each participant completed a one-time initial assessment and a minimum of five daily diary surveys on their workdays. Hindrance stressors, challenge stressors, coworker support, job satisfaction, and work engagement all fluctuated daily. Daily challenge stressors could boost employees’ levels of engagement in daily work, but these stressors could also decrease employees’ daily job satisfaction. The findings revealed the necessity to manage frontline employees’ work stressors on a day-to-day basis and offered suggestions for hotel practitioners.