Examining the Effect of Perceived Leader Integrity on Hotel Frontline Employees’ Performance and Intention to Stay. Examining the Mediating Role of Job Satisfaction

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.29036/hqt9hy47

Keywords:

perceived leader integrity, job satisfaction, employee performance, intention to stay, hotel sector, Saudi Arabia.

Abstract

This study investigates a central question: How does employee job satisfaction (EJS) shape the relationships between perceived leader integrity (PCLI), employee performance (EMPF), and employees’ intention to stay (ITST) within five-star hotels in Saudi Arabia? Although prior research acknowledges the importance of leadership integrity and workforce attitudes in hospitality settings, empirical evidence remains limited in luxury hotel environments in the Saudi context. Grounded in hotel management and human resources theories that emphasize leadership ethics and employee behavioral outcomes, this study aims to address this knowledge gap. A structured questionnaire measuring four core constructs (PCLI, EJS, EMPF, and ITST) was administered to 411 frontline hotel employees. Data were analyzed using PLS-SEM. Findings reveal that PCLI significantly enhances employee satisfaction, performance, and retention intentions. Additionally, EJS positively influences both EMPF and ITST and partially mediates the links between PCLI and each of these employee outcomes. This research advances understanding of how leader integrity and employee satisfaction interact to strengthen performance and reduce turnover intentions in luxury hotels, offering both theoretical contributions and practical insights for hospitality managers. Recommendations for future inquiry are also discussed.

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Author Biographies

  • Tamer Hamdy Ayad, Management Department, College of Business Administration, King Faisal University, Al Hofuf, Saudi Arabia

    Professor. Tamer Ayad is a professor at the management department, College of Business Administration, King Faisal University, Saudi Arabia. Also, a Professor in the tourism studies department, Faculty of Tourism and Hotels, Suez Canal University, Egypt (currently on secondment to work abroad). He is interested in tourism resource management and utilization, marketing and economic feasibility studies for tourism projects, human resource management, and tourism and hotel training. He has published numerous extensive scientific research papers in the tourism industry -Scopus and ISI- and has conducted numerous marketing and economic feasibility studies for several tourism projects locally and internationally. He has also delivered numerous local, regional, and international training courses.

  • Samer M. Al-Sabi, Management Department, College of Business Administration, King Faisal University, Al Hofuf, Saudi Arabia

    Dr.Samer M. Al-Sabi is an associate Professor of International Hospitality Management at Petra College for Tourism and Archaeology in Al-Hussein Bin Talal University, Ma’an, Jordan, from 2012 to 2019. From 2019 to the present, he has served as a faculty member in the business administration department at King Faisal University in Ihsaas, Saudi Arabia. Dr. Al-Sabi serves as an active member of the business college, particularly in the quality programs of the Business Administration Department and in the accreditations of both programs (i.e., Bachelor of Business Administration and Master of Business Administration). Dr. Al-Sabi has published many scientific research papers with a concentration in Hotel and Tourism Management Studies. Dr. Al-Sabi is interested in the areas of Hospitality Management Studies, Tourism Management Studies, Human Resource Management Studies, Management Studies, Empowerment (i.e., Structural Empowerment, Psychological Empowerment, and Green Empowerment), Total Quality Management, Service Recovery Performance, Innovation Performance, Quality Management Practices, Green Training, Pro-environmental Behavior, and Environmental Performance.

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Published

2026-06-01

Issue

Vol. 17 No. 32 (2026): Journal of Tourism and Services

Section

Scientific Papers

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Copyright (c) 2026 Journal of Tourism and Services

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Journal of Tourism and Services (ISSN 1804-5650) is published by the Center for International Scientific Research of VŠO and VŠPP in cooperation with the following partners:

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How to Cite

Ayad, T. H., & Al-Sabi, S. M. (2026). Examining the Effect of Perceived Leader Integrity on Hotel Frontline Employees’ Performance and Intention to Stay. Examining the Mediating Role of Job Satisfaction. Journal of Tourism and Services, 17(32), 90-115. https://doi.org/10.29036/hqt9hy47