The effects of psychological entitlement and workplace negative gossip on frontline employee contextual performance in hospitality businesses

Previous studies on negative workplace gossip have neglected differences that may arise from the position and personality characteristics of the target individuals of the gossip. Therefore, this study focuses on the relationships between negative workplace gossip about managers and coworkers, psychological entitlement, and contextual performance, based on social information processing theory. This study is to reveal the impact of negative workplace gossip on contextual performance through psychological entitlement. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire that included Brady, Brown & Liang's (2017) Workplace Negative Gossip, Campbell et al.'s (2004) Psychological Entitlement, and Van Scotter & Motowidlo's (1996) Contextual Performance Scales from 305 frontline employee and supervisor employing in tourism-certified hospitality businesses in Nevşehir. Firstly, a measurement model was developed by utilizing confirmatory factor analysis to test the reliability and validity of the scales used in the study. Then, partial least squares structural equation modelling was conducted to test the hypothesized relationships among variables. According to the results of research, negative workplace gossip about the supervisor negatively but not significantly affects the contextual performance of frontline employees. In contrast, negative workplace gossip about co-worker negatively and significantly affects the contextual performance of frontline employees. Furthermore, psychological entitlement positively and significantly affects the contextual performance of frontline employees. At the same time, in the study, both negative workplace gossip about the supervisor and negative workplace gossip about co-worker positively and significantly affects psychological entitlement. On the other hand, psychological entitlement only mediates the relationship between negative workplace gossip about co-worker and the contextual performance of frontline employees. As a result, this study draws theoretical implications regarding negative workplace gossip on contextual performance and practical implications regarding the management of negative workplace gossip. It also presents some limitations of this study and new suggestions for future research.