Coworker support in a sexual harassment climate: A conservation of resources perspective

Sexual harassment is still an issue in the hospitality industry, despite ample research on the topic. A sexual harassment climate – one that tolerates instances of unwanted sexual attention – produces negative impacts on employees’ well-being, job satisfaction, emotional exhaustion, and engagement, which may lead to increased turnover, absenteeism, and decreased productivity. The purpose of this research is to investigate the role of a sexual harassment climate in employees’ emotional exhaustion and employee engagement. Grounded in the conservation of resources theory, a moderated mediation analysis of a survey of 236 Turkish citizens who work in hotels confirmed that a sexual harassment climate led to more instances of unwanted sexual attention, which resulted in increased emotional exhaustion and decreased employee engagement due to the depletion of resources. Coworker support moderated this interaction, leading to a reduction in the negative impacts due to an increase in resources. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.