How CSR impact meaning of work and dysfunctional customer behavior

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate how frontline service employees’ (FSEs) perceptions of corporate social responsibility (CSR) can enhance meaningful work perceptions as well as help alleviate FSEs’ perceptions of verbal dysfunctional customer behavior. Design/methodology/approach The conceptual model is empirically examined through a survey of 306 FSEs of a large insurance company in South Korea and tested via structural equation modeling. Findings The results indicate that FSEs’ perceptions of CSR are negatively related to their perceptions of verbal dysfunctional customer conduct, which in turn is shown to be directly linked to emotional exhaustion. FSEs’ CSR perceptions strengthen their view that they are performing meaningful work (i.e. perceived task significance), which in turn strengthens their job satisfaction. Practical implications CSR has a preventive effect on workplace stress reduction, as FSE perceptions of CSR may help them cope with the emotional fatigue of dealing with dysfunctional customer behavior. CSR also provides a needs fulfillment effect, as FSEs’ perceptions of CSR foster perceived task significance and helps reduce their emotional exhaustion from work. Originality/value This is the first study to examine the potential impact of CSR within the context of FSEs’ boundary spanning emotional labor.

The mediating role of natural and social resources in the corporate social responsibility—corporate financial performance relationship

“…Barnea and Rubin (2010, p. 71) put forward quite exceptional arguments for the harmful impact of increased reputation. They claim that “a firm's insiders (managers and large blockholders) may seek to over‐invest in CSR for their private benefit to the extent that doing so improves their reputations as good global citizens and has a ‘warm‐glow’ effect.” Regarding innovativeness, I can hypothesize that social CSR negatively affects innovativeness because employee‐oriented social CSR activities—which are among the most common activities undertaken by companies (Horváth et al, 2017)—may unduly reduce stress among employees (Kim, Kim, Lacey, & Suh, 2018). Notably, in the TR Eikon methodology (Thompson Reuters, 2017), the importance of workforce indicators was much larger than that of human rights, community, and product responsibility indicators.…”

How perceptions of firm environmental and social values influence frontline employee outcomes

“…A growing body of research finds this meaning is enhanced when a firm practices CSR (Aguinis and Glavas, 2017). The reason may be that CSR perceptions lead to higher levels of work engagement (Oh and Kim, 2019) and task significance (Kim et al , 2018). In turn, FLEs perform better when working for a firm practicing CSR, motivated by the sense of doing some good for the general public (Korschun et al , 2014).…”

“…Further, because CSR leads to more meaningful work, it can have an indirect effect on job satisfaction (Kim et al , 2018). When CSR is shared by the firm, the employees and its customers, FLEs begin to adopt a customer orientation, which leads to even higher levels of performance (Korschun et al , 2014).…”

How does dysfunctional customer behavior affect employee turnover

“…Prior studies have provided strong evidence of substantial adverse effects of dysfunctional customer behavior on employees (Kim et al , 2018). For instance, employees engaging in surface acting are more likely to receive dysfunctional customer behavior that increases their negative affect and emotional exhaustion (Zhan et al , 2016).…”