Unveiling the moderated mediation of psychological entitlement and psychological distress in customer incivility and frontline employee work-family conflict relationship

Purpose This study intends to examine the influence of customer incivility (CI) on work-family conflict (WFC), with a specific focus on the mediating function of psychological distress (PD) and the moderating role of psychological entitlement (PE). Additionally, the study explores whether PE moderates the indirect influence of CI on WFC through psychological distress. Design/methodology/approach We gathered data from 326 employees employed in the Indian service sector and analyzed them using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) with SmartPLS v4. Findings The findings demonstrate that customer incivility increases employee WFC. Additionally, PD served as a partial mediator in CI and WFC relationships. Moreover, the study uncovered that psychological entitlement (PE) moderates the association between CI and PD. Importantly, the indirect influence of customer incivility on WFC via psychological distress was high at higher PE. Practical implications This study offers practical insights for mitigating customer incivility and work-family conflict. Organizations can implement employee assistance programs (EAPs) to offer confidential counseling services to the victim of CI. Additionally, managers should promote a performance-driven culture where incentives and recognition are based on genuine accomplishments to manage psychologically entitled employees. Originality/value Our research is the first to propose and validate the predictive influence of CI on WFC through psychological distress. Furthermore, by exploring the moderating effect of PE in comprehending the connection between customer incivility, PD and work-family conflict, our study contributes novelty to the existing literature.