Supervisor phubbing and green work engagement: the roles of person–environment fit and self-esteem in hospitality

Purpose The study examines the impact of supervisor phubbing on employee green work engagement in Egyptian hotels and travel agencies. Drawing on the Job Demands–Resources (JD-R) model, the study examines the mediating effect of person–environment (P–E) fit and the moderating effect of self-esteem in affecting employee green engagement. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected by a questionnaire from 301 hotel and travel agency staff in Greater Cairo, Egypt. SmartPLS was utilized in analyzing the hypothesized relationships via Structural Equation Modeling. Findings The results reveal that supervisor phubbing adversely affects green work engagement and P–E fit. On the other hand, P–E fit positively affects green work engagement and significantly mediates the relationship between supervisor phubbing and green engagement. Moreover, self-esteem positively moderates the negative relationship between supervisor phubbing and P–E fit in such a way that the damaging effect is weaker for individuals with higher self-esteem. Practical implications Organizations should be sensitive to the negative effects of inattentive supervisor behaviors and encourage conditions enabling personal alignment with green values. Training supervisors in mindful communication and cultivating employees’ psychological resources (e.g. self-esteem) can foster green engagement outcomes. Originality/value The research introduces supervisor phubbing as a novel job demand affecting green behavior and expands the JD-R model by integrating interpersonal dynamics and psychological resources in a sustainability-themed context.