Workplace Sexual Harassment and Withdrawal Behaviors Among Female Workers in Jordanian Hotels, the Mediating Role of Emotional Exhaustion

Abstract

This study explores the connection between workplace sexual harassment and the tendency of female hotel workers in Jordan to withdraw from their jobs, with a specific focus on the role of emotional exhaustion. The study involved female employees from five-star hotels in Amman, Jordan, using a convenience sampling approach, and collected 203 valid responses, achieving an 87% response rate. Using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), the research found that sexual harassment and emotional exhaustion directly and positively affected withdrawal behaviors. Notably, sexual harassment had a substantial positive impact on emotional exhaustion. However, the study found that emotional exhaustion did not mediate the relationship between sexual harassment and withdrawal behaviors. The coefficients of determination (R2) for emotional exhaustion and withdrawal behaviors were 0.780 and 0.841, respectively. This study underscores the prevalence of sexual harassment in Jordanian hotel workplaces, especially among female employees. It highlights that sexual harassment significantly contributes to emotional exhaustion among female workers, which, in turn, affects their inclination to leave their jobs. This emphasizes the importance of maintaining motivated and engaged female employees within the hospitality industry.