Service robot risk awareness and customer-directed helping from the perspective of the transactional model of stress

Due to the widespread use of service robots, there is a burgeoning body of research on the potential effects of service robots on service employees' work outcomes. However, previous studies have mainly focused on the negative effects of service robot risk awareness (SRRA), overlooking the possibility that SRRA promotes proactive coping among service employees. To bridge this gap, drawing on the transactional model of stress, we propose perceived performance pressure (PPP) as a primary appraisal and customer-directed helping (CDH) as a secondary appraisal. Furthermore, we portray self-efficacy and job autonomy as moderators that strengthen the relationship between SRRA and PPP. Our hypotheses were validated via a two-wave survey conducted on 200 service employees. The results showed significant mediation between SRRA, PPP, and CDH. As expected, the positive relationship between SRRA and PPP was stronger for more efficacious employees than for less efficacious employees. Contrary to our prediction, job autonomy failed to moderate the SRRA–PPP relationship. Additionally, we found a three-way interaction effect of SRRA, self-efficacy, and job autonomy on PPP. The positive relationship between SRRA and PPP was most profound among service employees who possessed high levels of self-efficacy and job autonomy. These findings have implications for the effective management of service employees whose jobs are being replaced by service robots.