Dark Side of Work Engagement: Curvilinear Effects on Service Recovery

Although prior research has established that work engagement positively impacts workplace outcomes, there has been limited investigation of the potential nonlinear impact of excessive work engagement. This study addresses this gap by examining the adverse effects of excessive work engagement on positive work outcomes in service recovery. Data from 31 Indian restaurants were obtained through a multisource sample, and polynomial regression analysis was conducted to examine the moderating effects of job autonomy and challenge stressors on the nonlinear curvature of work engagement. The study's findings show that excessive work engagement negatively affects service recovery performance. However, high job autonomy and challenge stressors can mitigate this negative effect, reducing the adverse impact of excessive work engagement.