EMPATHY, ENGAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATIONAL CITIZENSHIP BEHAVOR OF TOURISM EMPLOYEES IN THE CONTEXT OF COVID-19

Abstract

The study aims to determine the role of employees’ empathy in the employees’ engagement and organizational citizenship behaviour in tourism industry in the context of COVID-19 in Da Nang city. The research model was evaluated through two steps: assessment of measurement model and assessment of the structural model with the support of SmartPLS software. The survey results of 321 employees at hotels and travel agencies in Da Nang city showed that: (1) employees’ empathy had a positive impact on the employees’ engagement with effect size f2 equals to 0.361; (2) employees’ empathy had a positive impact on organizational citizenship behaviour of employees with effect size f2 equals to 0.729; (3) employees’ engagement had a positive impact on organizational citizenship behaviour of employees with effect size f2 equals 0.364. The research results help businesses in general and tourism businesses in particular realize the importance of employees’ empathy in the current context.