The impact of selected front-end hotel managerial competencies on employee engagement: An exploratory study

Date
2020-12
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH SUMMARY : This study explored the mechanisms that drive employee engagement in the South African hotel industry. The aim of the study was to determine the precursors or predictors of customer-contact employee engagement. Specifically, the aim was to determine the impact of selected front-end hotel managerial competencies on the level of subordinate employee engagement. The research objectives were to: (1) develop an explanatory structural model that explains the variance in employee engagement, and the nature and strength of the relationships between the selected front-end managerial competencies and employee engagement, and (2) make recommendations regarding practical interventions based on the research findings. Customer-contact employees were the units of observation (participants). The participants completed an online survey in which they reported on their own level of engagement and rated the degree to which their manager displays task-oriented behaviours, empowering leadership behaviours, social-emotional competency and work design competency. A total of 106 surveys were collected (n = 106). Item analysis, regression and redundancy analysis were performed as preliminary statistical analyses. Thereafter, partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) was used to assess the relationship between the manifest and latent variables, as well as the main effects between the latent variables. The item analysis results indicate that the items of the various indicators do measure the same underlying construct, as intended, with the exception of the work design competency scale. Upon further investigation, the researcher decided to divide work design competency into two independent and theoretically distinct constructs, namely: work design task characteristics and work design social characteristics. By implication, the number of exogenous latent variables in the model increased to five. Furthermore, the redundancy analysis indicated a severe degree of collinearity between two of the variables (task-oriented behaviours and empowering leadership behaviours). Consequently, three different PLS-SEM models were run – one model that comprised all variables (five exogenous and one endogenous latent variable), and two models where one of the collinear variables was removed, to determine the impact this would have on the predictive accuracy of the exogenous latent variables of the latent construct. The findings show that the degree to which the manager designs task characteristics (such as task identity, task significance, task variety, autonomy and feedback) has an impact on employee engagement. Also, the degree to which the manager displays social emotional competency (emotion regulation, self-awareness, stress management, empathy, optimism etc.) has a positive impact on employee engagement. A limitation of the current study is the uncritical adherence to the theoretical misconception to calculate a composite score for the work design competency scale that comprises of work design: task characteristics and work design: social characteristics scales. The researcher recommends that future studies assess a model in which the 12 diagnostic subscales of the work design competency scale are fitted as exogenous latent variables. In addition, the researcher recommends that future studies assess the possible moderating impact of structural and psychological empowerment in the relationship between leadership behaviours and employee engagement. Lastly, the practical implications of the findings suggests that managers should consider contextual and individual factors carefully before changing task characteristics by implementing job redesign interventions, since factors such as managerial style, technology, ability and preferences can have an impact on the effectiveness of job redesign and job crafting interventions.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING : Hierdie studie het die meganismes waardeur werknemerbetrokkenheid in die Suid-Afrikaanse hotelbedryf bestuur word, ondersoek. Die doel van die studie was om die voorlopers of voorspellers van werknemerbetrokkenheid in kontak met kliënte te bepaal. Die doel was spesifiek om die impak van geselekteerde hotelbestuursbevoegdhede op die vlak van ondergeskikte werknemerbetrokkenheid te bepaal. Die navorsingsdoelwitte was om: (1) 'n verduidelikende strukturele model te ontwikkel wat die verskil in werknemerbetrokkenheid, en die aard en sterkte van die verhouding tussen die geselekteerde voorpunt-bestuursbevoegdhede en werknemerbetrokkenheid kan verduidelik, en (2) aanbevelings rakende praktiese tussentredes wat op die navorsingsbevindinge gebaseer is, aan die hand te doen. Die eenhede vir waarneming (deelnemers) was werknemers wat in kontak met kliënte was. Die deelnemers het 'n aanlyn opname voltooi waarin hulle oor hul eie vlak van betrokkenheid gerapporteer het en die mate waarin hul bestuurder taakgeoriënteerde gedrag, bemagtigende leierskapsgedrag, sosiaal-emosionele bevoegdheid en werkontwerpbevoegdheid openbaar, beoordeel het. 'n Totaal van 106 opnames is ingesamel (n = 106). Item-analise, regressie- en oortolligheidsanalise is as voorlopige statistiese ontledings uitgevoer. Daarna is gedeeltelike kleinste kwadrate strukturele vergelykingsmodellering (PLS-SEM) gebruik om die verband tussen die manifeste en latente veranderlikes, sowel as die hoof effekte tussen die latente veranderlikes, te assesseer. Die itemontledingsresultate dui daarop dat die items van die verskillende aanwysers wel dieselfde onderliggende konstruk meet, soos bedoel is, met uitsondering van die werkontwerpbevoegdheidskaal. Na verdere ondersoek het die navorser besluit om werkontwerpbevoegdheid in twee onafhanklike en teoreties onderskeibare konstrukte te verdeel, naamlik: werkontwerptaakkenmerke en werkontwerp sosiale kenmerke. Die aantal eksogene latente veranderlikes in die model het volgens implikasie tot vyf toegeneem. Verder het die oortolligheidsanalise 'n ernstige mate van kolineariteit tussen twee van die veranderlikes (taakgeoriënteerde gedrag en bemagtigende leierskapsgedrag) aangedui.. Drie verskillende PLS-SEM-modelle is gevolglik uitgevoer – een model wat alle veranderlikes (vyf eksogene en een endogene latente veranderlike) bevat het, en twee modelle waar een van die kollineêre veranderlikes verwyder is, om die impak te bepaal wat dit op die voorspellende akkuraatheid van die eksogene latente veranderlikes van die latente konstruk sou hê. Die bevindinge toon dat die mate waartoe die bestuurder taakkenmerke ontwerp (soos taakidentiteit, taakbetekenis, taakverskeidenheid, outonomie en terugvoer) 'n impak op werknemerbetrokkenheid het. Verder het die mate waartoe die bestuurder sosiale emosionele bevoegdheid openbaar (emosieregulering, selfbewustheid, streshantering, empatie, optimisme, ens) ook 'n positiewe impak op werknemerbetrokkenheid. 'n Beperking van die huidige studie is die onkritiese navolging van die teoretiese wanopvatting om 'n saamgestelde telling vir die werkontwerpbevoegdheidskaal wat uit werkontwerp: taakkenmerke en werkontwerp: en sosiale kenmerkeskale te bereken. Die navorser beveel aan dat toekomstige studies 'n model assesseer waarin die 12 diagnostiese subskale van die werkontwerpbevoegdheidskaal as eksogene latente veranderlikes ingepas word. Daarbenewens beveel die navorser aan dat toekomstige studies die moontlike modererende impak van strukturele en sielkundige bemagtiging in die verhouding tussen leierskapgedrag en werknemerbetrokkenheid evalueer. Laastens dui die praktiese implikasies van die bevindinge daarop dat bestuurders kontekstuele en individuele faktore noukeurig moet oorweeg voordat taakkenmerke deur die implementerimg van posherontwerp-intervensies en werkskeppingsintervensies verander word, aangesien faktore soos bestuurstyl, tegnologie, vermoë en voorkeure 'n impak op die doeltreffendheid van posherontwerp en aanpassingsintervensies kan hê.
Description
Thesis (MCom)--Stellenbosch University, 2020.
Keywords
Hotels, taverns, etc. -- Employees -- Performance -- South Africa, Hotels, taverns, etc. -- Management -- South Africa, Employee loyalty -- South Africa, Work environment -- Psychological aspects, Employee motivation, UCTD
Citation