The dual effects of service robot usage in hotels on employees’ service innovation behavior

Purpose This study aims to explore how the service robot usage in hotels affects employees’ service innovation behavior by influencing job insecurity and thriving at work and how employees’ AI awareness moderated these effects. Design/methodology/approach This study uses a time-lagged field design, drawing on a sample of 482 employees across 16 hotels in China. To ensure methodological robustness, the study uses both ordinary least squares regression and structural equation modeling to test the theoretical model. Findings The results reveal a dual psychological and behavioral mechanism. On one hand, service robot usage exacerbates job insecurity, thereby inhibiting employees’ service innovation behavior. On the other hand, service robot usage enhances thriving at work, consequently fostering employees’ service innovation behavior. Furthermore, the effects of service robot usage on employees’ psychological states largely depended on their AI awareness. Originality/value This study integrates the instrumental and anthropomorphic attributes of service robots to capture their complex effects on employees’ psychological and behavioral responses. By demonstrating that robot usage simultaneously elicits job insecurity and thriving at work, this research contributes new insights into human-robot interaction.