Effect of ethical leadership on employee emotional stability during the time of crisis in the hospitality industry

Manuscript code article-28319
DOI 10.1108/jts-12-2024-0071
Keywords: Ethical leadership Emotional stability Emotional support Organization COVID-19 responses COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

PurposeThis research aims to examine the relationship between ethical leadership and employee emotional stability during a pandemic crisis in the hospitality industry, with a chain-mediating effect of perceived emotional support and employee satisfaction with organization COVID-19 responses.Design/methodology/approachA three-stage data collection procedure was applied to obtain data from 765 full-time frontline employees from four to five-star hotels. The data were then analyzed using different statistical methods, including structural equation modeling and bootstrap analysis.FindingsResults show that ethical leadership has a positive impact on employee emotional stability, and perceived emotional support mediates this association. Furthermore, perceived emotional support and employee satisfaction with organization COVID-19 responses together play a chain-mediating effect in the link between ethical leadership and employee emotional stability.Originality/valueThis study adopts a new perspective of the theory of perception to build a unique model that explains a process leading to employees’ emotional stability as a result of employees’ perceptions and emotional feelings toward ethical leadership in the hospitality industry during an organizational crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Authors

Dang-Van, Thac School of International Business-Marketing, University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Huang, Chen-I School of International Business, Tan Kah Kee College, Xiamen University, Zhangzhou, China Huy, Le Van TRT for Business Intelligence, University of Economics-The University of Danang, Danang City, Vietnam

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Published September 22, 2025
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DOI: 10.1108/jts-12-2024-0071

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