Relational resources for promoting restaurant employees’ thriving at work

Purpose: This study aims to investigate the significant role of restaurant employees’ relational resources to promote thriving at work. The mediating effect of heedful relating was focused on as an underlying mechanism. This study also investigated the moderating effect of employees’ perceived COVID-19 impact on the hypothesized relationships. Design/methodology/approach: The research model was tested with frontline restaurant employees working in full-service restaurants using the convenience sampling method. A self-administered questionnaire was used for an online survey. A total of 361 responses were analyzed with structural equation modeling, bootstrapping analysis and multi-group analysis. Findings: The results showed the significant relationships not only between relational resources and thriving at work but also between relational resources and heedful relating. Heedful relating was significantly associated with thriving at work. The significant mediating effect of heedful relating was supported. The moderating effect of the perceived COVID-19 impact on the association between leader–member exchange and thriving was significant. Research limitations/implications: Employees’ relational resources at work leads to thriving at work both directly and indirectly through the impact of heedful relating. The findings contributed to the literature on human resource management and hospitality. Moreover, the study presented implications for the restaurant industry to promote employees’ self-adaptation and development in a post-pandemic era. Originality/value: With the study findings, the importance of relational aspects to foster restaurant employees’ thriving at work could be highlighted which reflects the unique nature of the restaurant industry.