Why illegitimate tasks should be reduced? Investigating their impact on employee well-being

Purpose This study aims to use psychological contract theory to explore the substantial impact of illegitimate tasks on the well-being of hospitality employees. It also examines the mediating role of psychological contract breach and the moderating role of employee emotional intelligence within the proposed moderated mediation model. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from 338 hospitality employees in Guangdong, China, and the hypotheses were examined through hierarchical regression analysis. Findings The results revealed that illegitimate tasks could negatively impact employee well-being through psychological contract breach. Furthermore, employee emotional intelligence was confirmed as a critical moderator that buffers the negative impact of illegitimate tasks on psychological contract breach. Originality/value This research offers novel insights into the dynamics affecting hospitality employee well-being by framing illegitimate tasks within psychological contract theory. It identifies the critical conditions under which employees’ well-being is impacted, thus broadening the understanding of employee–organization interactions.