Purpose

This research aims to extend the research on humorous leadership and the hospitality industry by using the theoretical framework of affective events theory (AET). This research aims to close this gap by recognizing that leaders' humor may inspire pro-social motivation in tourism workers and can harness the ability of employees to offer innovative ideas. The effect of leaders' humor on employees’ pro-social motivation is moderated by the personal need for structure (PNS).

Design/methodology/approach

A multi-source time-lagged design was employed in this research. The researchers used survey instruments to collect data from frontline employees and their immediate supervisors working in Pakistan’s two- to five-star hotels. The current study considers 279 useable responses and tested them through Hayes process macros.

Findings

Results show that humorous leadership has a significant direct impact on the innovative work behavior (IWB) of hotel employees. Pro-social motivation significantly mediates the relationship between humorous leadership and IWB. Further, the PNS significantly buffers the relationship between humorous leadership and pro-social motivation.

Practical implications

Findings are vital for hotel managers to adopt a more flexible leadership style to promote the pro-social motivation and IWBs of hotel employees.

Originality/value

This is one of the first studies to use pro-social motivation to explain the relationship between humorous leadership and creative work behaviors. Employees' individual needs for structure have also been utilized as a novel boundary condition. The results are essential for hotel managers to adopt a more adaptable leadership style to encourage the staff’s pro-social motivation and creative work behaviors.

中文翻译：

---

领导者幽默是预测创新行为的话语资源吗？检查亲社会动机和个人需求在酒店业结构中的作用

目的

本研究旨在利用情感事件理论（AET）的理论框架扩展幽默领导力和酒店业的研究。这项研究旨在通过认识到领导者的幽默可以激发旅游工作者的亲社会动机并可以利用员工提供创新想法的能力来缩小这一差距。领导者的幽默感对员工亲社会动机的影响受到个人结构需求（PNS）的调节。

设计/方法论/途径

本研究采用了多源时滞设计。研究人员使用调查工具收集了在巴基斯坦二星级至五星级酒店工作的一线员工及其直接主管的数据。当前的研究考虑了 279 个可用的响应，并通过 Hayes 过程宏对其进行了测试。

发现

结果表明，幽默领导对酒店员工的创新工作行为（IWB）有显着的直接影响。亲社会动机显着调节幽默领导力与 IWB 之间的关系。此外，PNS 显着缓冲了幽默领导力和亲社会动机之间的关系。

实际影响

研究结果对于酒店管理者采取更灵活的领导风格来促进酒店员工的亲社会动机和 IWB 至关重要。

原创性/价值

这是最早使用亲社会动机来解释幽默领导力与创造性工作行为之间关系的研究之一。员工对结构的个人需求也被用作一种新颖的边界条件。研究结果对于酒店管理者采取更具适应性的领导风格来鼓励员工的亲社会动机和创造性工作行为至关重要。