Abstract
This study examined the indirect effect and moderators that may explain the link between unfriendly customer behaviors and workers’ psychological capital with a sample of 380 employees. We hypothesized that perceived health symptoms would have an indirect effect on the link between unfriendly customer behaviors and psychological capital. We also hypothesized a moderated mediation model, in which positive humor events would moderate the indirect effect. Results show that the negative association between unfriendly customer behaviors with psychological capital was due to an increased level of perceived health symptoms. Moreover, positive humor events moderated the link between unfriendly customer behaviors and perceived health symptoms, such that the link was stronger when the frequency of positive humor events was low to moderate. This study addresses a major gap in the positive psychology literature by attempting to examine why unfriendly customer behaviors relate to decreased psychological capital and what factors influence in this relation. Practical implications are further discussed.
Highlights
The relationship between affective events experienced at work and well-being indicators such as optimism, happiness, or hope, have attracted considerable attention in positive psychology research (e.g., De Jonge, Bosma, Peter & Siegrist, 2000)
Results show that the negative association between unfriendly customer behaviors with psychological capital was due to an increased level of perceived health symptoms
Since research has consistently shown that humor promotes both physical and psychological health and that it has a positive impact in diverse componentes of health and well-being (Fritz, Russek, & Dillon, 2017), we propose that it will buffer the negative impact of customers’ unfriendly behaviors on employees’ health symptoms
Summary
The relationship between affective events experienced at work and well-being indicators such as optimism, happiness, or hope, have attracted considerable attention in positive psychology research (e.g., De Jonge, Bosma, Peter & Siegrist, 2000). Given the amounting evidence supporting that the exposure to customers’ negativity impacts on workers’ health (Rueff-Lopes, Navarro, Caetano & Junça-Silva, 2017), we aim to explore the possible mediating role of health symptoms in the relation between customers’ unfriendly behaviors and psychological capital. Call-centers are breeding grounds for customers’ unfriendliness - in terms of its intensity, and in terms of its frequency since, according to Grandey, Dickter and Sin (2004), callcenter employees witness or fall victim to customer misbehavior on average ten times a day These affective events will influence diverse emotional reactions and consequent work-related attitudes and behaviors at work. Hypothesis 2: Positive humor events will moderate the strength of the mediated relationship between negative customers’ behaviors with psychological capital via health symptoms, such that the relationship will be weaker under a high frequency of positive humor events than under a low frequency
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