Counterproductive Work Behavior Towards Organizations and Customers: Alignment with Organizational Values and Psychological Safety in Hotel Industry

Counterproductive work behavior emerges more rapidly and directly in the hospitality sector due to the labor-intensive and service-driven nature of the tourism industry. This study investigates the mediating role of psychological safety in the relationship between alignment with organizational values and counterproductive work behaviors. The sample comprises 336 cases from hotel businesses in Nevşehir, Türkiye. A two-stage structural equation modeling analysis was employed to test the relationships among the constructs, and the bootstrap method was used for mediation analysis. The findings reveal that alignment with organizational values reduces counterproductive work behavior toward organizations but does not significantly impact counterproductive work behavior toward customers. Regarding the mediating role of psychological safety, the results indicate that psychological safety serves as a complementary mediator in the relationship between alignment with organizational values and counterproductive work behavior toward organizations. Additionally, it acts as an indirect-only mediator in the relationship between alignment with organizational values and counterproductive work behavior toward customers. Grounded in social exchange theory, this study aims to elucidate how alignment with organizational values and psychological safety jointly influence counterproductive work behaviors. Accommodation businesses should prioritize fostering alignment with organizational values and enhancing psychological safety to mitigate counterproductive work behaviors. However, the cross-sectional methodology represents a limitation of this study.