Supervisor support and turnover intentions of yacht captains: the role of work-family conflict and psychological resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate work-family conflict's (WFC) mediating role and psychological resilience's (PR) moderating role on the perceived supervisor support (SS) of yacht captains and their turnover intentions (TI) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Design/methodology/approach The authors followed a quantitative approach and conducted a questionnaire survey of 320 Turkish yacht captains. The data were analyzed using SPSS 22 (Process macro v3.4) and AMOS 22 statistics package programs. Findings Perceived SS has direct and indirect effects on TI with WFC being the intermediate variable. WFC's effect on TI varies according to the yacht captains' levels of PR. Practical implications This study empirically uncovered the impact of supervisor support and PR levels, the most important factors for ensuring hospitality employees exhibit positive organizational attitudes and behaviors. This study shows that the success of yacht captains in this stressful work environment depends on positively perceived SS and PR levels. PR regulates the relationship between WFC and TIs. Thus, supervisors should prioritize meeting their employees' expectations to effectively and efficiently manage their human resources, and supervisor support is essential for meeting these expectations. Originality/value According to the authors' knowledge, this study is the first to assess the effect of supervisor support on TI, the mediating role of WFC and the moderating role of PR. In addition, the authors aimed to fill the research gaps on yacht captains, as a profession requiring expertise and field experience, and on PR in the tourism industry.