Beyond Small Talk
The Impact of Inclusion Climate and Fun on Constituent Attachment Through Deep Conversation
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21652652 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Michael J Tews (0000-0001-9269-6874, School of Hospitality Management, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA, corresponding author), John W Michel (0000-0002-2969-7409, Loyola University Maryland), Sydney Pons (0000-0003-2892-1592, School of Hospitality Management, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 50 |
| Issue | 4 |
| Pages | 477-493 |
| Publication date | 2026-05-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1096-3480 • E-ISSN: 1557-7554 |
| Publisher | SAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US) |
| DOI | 10.1177/10963480251352239 |
| OpenAlex | W4411210822 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 61 |
This study examined how informal conversations—both shallow and deep—impacted employees’ constituent attachment in the hospitality industry, along with the antecedents of such conversations. With a sample of 251 hospitality employees, our findings revealed that deep conversations, but not shallow conversations, were positively related to constituent attachment. In addition, an inclusion climate and workplace fun were positively related to deep conversations. Moreover, the relationships between inclusion climate, fun, and constituent attachment were mediated more strongly by deep conversations than by shallow ones. While prior research has generally focused on the impact of small talk, this study advances human resources and organizational behavior research by being the first to distinguish between deep and shallow workplace conversations, revealing their unique impact on constituent attachment, and highlighting the role of inclusion climate and workplace fun in fostering meaningful connections
Conversation · Hospitality · Hospitality industry · Political science · Tourism · Communication · Customer Service Quality and Loyalty · Digital Marketing and Social Media · Impact of Technology on Adolescents · Psychology · Social Psychology
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| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |