Abstract

In 2022, Thailand fully reopened to welcome tourists again after two years of COVID-19 lockdown. Amid this reopening, employees were still concerned about the high risks associated with COVID-19. This study investigates how frontline hotel employees were still afraid and stressed because of the COVID-19 pandemic and how their resilience and organisational citizenship behaviour (OCB) have fared during the industry’s recovery from COVID-19. A cross-sectional descriptive and analytical design using PLS-SEM was employed to measure COVID-19 concern, job stress, job satisfaction, resilience and OCB among hotel staff after the country’s reopening. Through a self-administration survey, the study collected a sample of 362 respondents from 33 three-five-star hotels in Phuket, Thailand. The results show a negative relationship between COVID-19 concern and job satisfaction. Job stress and job satisfaction were independent mediators of OCB. At the same time, resilience had a moderate negative effect on the relationship between job stress and job satisfaction and a moderate positive effect on the relationship between job satisfaction and OCB. This study provides practical implications for enhancing job satisfaction and OCB for hotel managers and staff. Hotel managers should offer regular training, provide development opportunities, promote a supportive work environment, encourage work-life balance, and provide resources for coping with stress through resilience. Such measures can alleviate the negative effects of job stress, increase job satisfaction, and foster OCB among hotel staff.