Illegitimate tasks and hospitality employees’ silence behavior: the role of psychological contract breach and collectivist orientation

Purpose Illegitimate tasks, as a prevalent source of workplace stress, may foster employee silence in the hospitality industry. Drawing on Conservation of Resources Theory and Social Exchange Theory, this study aims to investigate the effect of illegitimate tasks on hospitality employees’ silence behavior, focusing on the mediating role of psychological contract breach and the moderating role of collectivist orientation. Design/methodology/approach The theoretical model was tested through two sub-studies: a scenario experiment and a survey. The scenario experiment used a 2 × 2 between-subjects design, recruiting 252 employees with hospitality work experience, while the survey involved 302 hospitality employees. Findings The results reveal that illegitimate tasks lead to psychological contract breach, which in turn induces employee silence behavior. Moreover, collectivist orientation attenuates the effect of illegitimate tasks on psychological contract breach, thereby weakening the mediating role of psychological contract breach between illegitimate tasks and employee silence behavior. Practical implications It is important for hospitality managers to minimize illegitimate task assignments and recognize their potential to erode psychological contracts and suppress employee voice. Organizations are encouraged to clarify role expectations and leverage collectivist orientation as a buffer against the negative effects of task-related stressors on employee communication and engagement. Originality/value This study refines the understanding of the negative impact scope of illegitimate tasks and offer deeper insights into the antecedents of employee silence from a task pressure perspective within the hospitality industry.