Investigating how job autonomy fuel extra-role customer service behavior: mediating role of cognitive and affective trust

The current study aimed at investigating the role of three dimensions of autonomy (work method autonomy, decision-making autonomy, and work scheduling autonomy) in promoting extra-role customer service behavior (ECS) based on social exchange theory. We also propose the mediating role of cognitive trust and affective trust between three-dimensional autonomy and ECS. Dyadic data (supervisor-employee) was collected through the survey method from front-line hotel employees (N = 255) in China. The results through structural equation modeling (SEM) demonstrate that three forms of autonomy have positive effects on two-dimensional trust and ECS. Moreover, two-dimensional trust mediated the relationship between the three dimensions of autonomy and ECS. The results also highlight theoretical and managerial implications for autonomy, trust, and ECS in the hospitality context.