Something to Talk About! Testing the Antecedents and Consequences of Workplace Romance in Indian Hotel industry

Abstract

The present study attempts to understand and establish the interplay between workplace romance and workplace gossip through the lens o McClelland’s theory of need in the context of the Indian hospitality industry. The data were collected from 216 hotel employees using a time-lagged design. PLS-SEM was used to test the hypothesized associations. The results indicated a positive association between workplace romance and workplace gossip. The study discusses several motives for people to engage in romance, resulting in increased gossip. Workplace romance emerged as a significant mediator between the antecedents (love, loneliness, career growth, organizational politics) and the consequence (workplace gossip). There is a dearth of studies empirically studying the linkages and antecedents of workplace gossip and workplace romance, especially in the context of the Indian hospitality sector. The present study attempts to address this gap by understanding the hypothesized associations.