Health-oriented leadership and service performance in hospitality workplaces: the indirect effect of psychological well-being

Purpose As attention on wellness and health continues to grow in the hospitality industry, this study brings health-oriented leadership (HOL) to the field’s research conversation. Drawing from the conservation of resources theory and social exchange theory, this study aims to investigate whether HOL enhances employee psychological well-being (PWB), consequently leading to improved employee service performance outcomes. Design/methodology/approach This study collected data from 190 restaurant employees (Survey 1) and their immediate managers (Survey 2) in three cities in Taiwan. SmartPLS 4 was used to test hypotheses. Findings The findings revealed that HOL positively enhanced PWB, which was closely linked to improvements in both service recovery performance (SRP) and organizational citizenship behavior (OCB). Additionally, PWB serves as a mediator in the relationship between HOL and these service performance outcomes. Research limitations/implications This paper provides practical insights for hospitality organizations by demonstrating that HOL enhances employees’ service performance through psychological mechanisms. The findings highlight the need to cultivate leadership practices that promote employees’ PWB, as HOL ultimately contributes to improved service outcomes and overall organizational success. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study of HOL in the hospitality industry. The insight from this study not only advances the understanding of the relationships among HOL, PWB, SRP and OCB but also provides meaningful theoretical and practical relevance, indicated by highlighting the importance of a health-focused leadership style in the hospitality workplace.