PurposeThis study explores how three-dimensional job autonomy (decision-making, work method and work scheduling) affects employees’ thriving at work and service recovery performance in the hospitality industry during COVID-19.Design/methodology/approachThis study utilized cross-sectional dyadic data from 287 frontline workers in the Chinese hospitality sector and analyzed it with Analysis of Moment Structures (AMOS) and the PROCESS macro.FindingsThe findings indicate that three-dimensional autonomy has a direct impact on thriving and an indirect effect on service recovery performance (SRP) through thriving, and the relationship between three-dimensional autonomy and thriving is moderated by SOCV19R.Originality/valueThis study addresses the existing gap in research regarding the various aspects of autonomy. It explores how distinct dimensions of autonomy affect employees’ thriving at work and, in turn, influence their ability to excel in service recovery. Furthermore, it sheds light on how the unique circumstances of COVID-19, as represented by SOCV19R, play a role in understanding the dynamics between different forms of autonomy and employees’ thriving.
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