Mediating Role of Work Engagement on the Impact of High Performance Work Practices, Service Recovery Performance and Life Satisfaction in Selected Restaurants in Turkish Republic of North Cyprus

Purpose – Drawing from social exchange theory, our study examine Work Engagement as a mediator of the impact of High Performance Work Practices on Service Recovery Performance and Life Satisfaction.Design/methodology/approach – Data obtained from the employees in restaurants in Famagusta region in Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. Structural Equation Modeling was used as the main instrument analysis to test the propose relationships.Findings – Work Engagement is one of the immediate outcomes of High performance work practices that engenders the performance of employee and effect on Service Recovery Performance and Life Satisfaction. The findings highlight the influence Work Engagement in the intermediate linkage between High performance work practices, Service Recovery Performance and Life Satisfaction.Practical implications – Work Engagement is a critical variable activating customer-contact employees and performance outcomes. As a suggestion, management need to attract and retain customer-contact employees who are energetic, dedicated, and are absorbed by their work.Originality/value – Most studies on service recovery has been done in Western countries, such as Asia and Australia but little known is in the Middle East, so North Cyprus was selected to be surveyed. Furthermore a comprehensive study of High performance work practices, Work Engagement, Service Recovery Performance and Life Satisfaction is yet to be investigated simultaneously in three cities in Turkish Republic of North Cyprus.