Building a resilient hospitality workforce : Empirical insights from hospitality workers

Author / Creator

TOUR 2021 (2021)

Conferences

TOUR 2021 Breakout Session 4 (2021)

Available as

Online

Summary

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic not only threatens public health and safety but also hits the hospitality industry, where nearly 70 percent of hospitality employees have been laid off or furloug...

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic not only threatens public health and safety but also hits the hospitality industry, where nearly 70 percent of hospitality employees have been laid off or furloughed (Benshoff, 2020). The industry is recovering with the vaccine rollout nationwide, but now it is facing another critical challenge of staffing shortage (Klein, 2021; Sebastian, 2021). Indeed, for many employees and employers in hospitality, COVID-19 means that they are tackling significant challenges related to their well-being, including their financial, physical, workplace, and mental well-being (Karatepe et al., 2021; Sönmez et al., 2020). Based on the literature related to employee well-being (Sirgy,2019; Liu-Lastres & Wen, 2021) and the resilience theory (Rees et al., 2015), this study investigated how hospitality workers interpret employee well-being during the pandemic, how they cope with the challenges brought by the pandemic, and how these experiences affect their attitude towards their profession as well as their intentions to stay in/return to the industry. This study employed a qualitative approach and conducted semi-structured interviews with seventeen hospitality workers, including eight managers and nine front-line employees. In addition, constant comparison methods (Glaser & Strauss, 2017) were used to guide the coding process and identify major themes. The preliminary results confirmed the multi-dimensional nature of employee well-being. It is further noted that although the respondents appreciated the importance of self-actualization at work, they prioritized financial well-being and personal safety during pandemic times. Furthermore, the respondents' intentions of staying in/returning to the hospitality industry are affected by their empathy towards their employers, positive working experiences, self-alignment with the value of the organization, and consideration for career development. This study's findings provide insights into building a resilient workforce, which is helpful in planning and preparing for future complications associated with significant crises.

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