Need to discuss the seminal works of turnover at the beginning, discuss the definitions and types of turnover, not jumping to the newest hospitality literature published in 2020.
Retention, turnover, experience
The study by Chang and Busser (2020) has noted that perceived organisational support (POS ) and psychological contract fulfilment (PCF) significantly could predict employees’ career intentions in the hospitality industry. Effective POS and PCF positively impact their work-life balance, resulting in career satisfaction and reduced turnover rates. On the contrary, Kim, Milliman, and Lucas (2020) state that employees’ perception of the corporate social responsibility of an organisation, its identification, and quality work-life balance could predict the intentions of stay. In this way, the corporate responsibility’s philanthropic dimensionality directly and positively impacts the retention rates of workers. However, Kim et al. (2020) argue that economic dimensions of corporate social responsibility has an indirect effect on the employees’ intentions to stay. Based on these arguments, the efforts and strategies introduced in the hospitality sector improve the retention rates compared to economic inputs. If the perceptions about an organisation are fulfilled, the staff are assured of support, and there is a high-order quality of work.
Karatepe (2012) has conducted a study of the Cameroonian employees operating in the hotel sector, whose findings agree with the assertions of Chang and Busser (2020) by noting the career satisfaction, perceived organisational support and performance results predict the retention of employees.
According to Karatepe (2012), the encouragement of workers plays a critical role in fostering the improvement of job performance and career satisfaction. These claims imply that lack of organisational support means reduced contentment, effectiveness and productivity, thus resulting in an increase in the turnover rates. In a similar study, Armstrong-Stassen and Ursel (2009) agree with Karatepe (2012) and Change and Busser (2020) that the intention to stay in an organisation is highly influenced by the perceived support and career satisfaction. Contrarily, Liu et al. (2018) argue that commitment to a company has a negative correlation with turnover intentions. Compared with the findings of Amstrong-Stassen and Ursel (2009) and Karatepe (2012), the conclusions of Liu et al. (2018) show significant changes that have occurred and can be used to inform the relationship between company support and turnover intentions.
Training of employees in their workplaces is one of the major factors affecting their plans to stay. According to Chang and Busser (2020), lack of sufficient education in the tourism sector has created a negative work experience, which in turn shapes employees’ perception about organisations and leads to higher turnover rates.
Moreover, Chang and Busser (2020) support Kim et al.’s (2020) claims that work -life balance significantly predicts the retention rates of the staff in the hospitality industry. Similarly, a study conducted by Chahal and Poonam (2017) focusing on the rates of employee retention and turnover in the sector notes that the adoption of regular engagement programs aimed at maintaining a better quality of work-life balance is crucial in shaping their perceptions and improve retention and turnover rates. Additionally, poor employee experience resulting in high turnover levels in the hospitality industry disrupts the entire system. An organisation may incur significant expenses of recruiting, training and sustaining new workers (Chahal and Poonam, 2017). Finally, the findings of Kim et al. (2020) are supported by Chahal and Poonam Work-life balance is not same topic than training, should be in a separate paragraph.
A suggestion for writing is, one idea/topic one paragraph. (2017) by asserting that corporate social responsibilities with other factors, such as talent-based activities, help shape the intentions of stay. However, Lin and Liu (2017) argue that since there exists a negative relationship between turnover intentions, burnout and work engagement, corporate social responsibility measured by work engagement does not have an impact on the intentions of stay.
Milman and Dickson (2014) have investigated the retention determinants and employment features based on the participants’ responses, who work in the United States attractions and parks. The results indicate that good salary, job satisfaction and training experiences predict the retention rates of employees working on an hourly basis (Milman and Dickson, 2014). If they are offered an excellent salary, better environment and regular education, they are able to perform their tasks more effectively, serve their customers appropriately and prefer to stay longer in an organisation. However, Milman and Dickson (2014) note that a negative experience with a review of performance and flexible hours of work predict hourly employees’ retention rates.
These findings imply that if the perceptions are negative, the turnover levels are likely to be higher, although an organisation maintains better hourly pay. Negative feedback about performance may demotivate some people and lead to their intentions of leaving an organisation. Tews et al. (2020) support Milman and Dickson (2014) by noting that individual support and good training environment influence employees to stay in the hospitality industry. Similarly, Malek, Kline, and Dipietro (2018) argue that the training of managers and workers significantly determines the intentions of employee turnover. However, Tews et al. (2020) state that management and organisational support are not related to this outcome. Thus, young adults working in the hospitality sector require encouragement from the administration and proper training to maintain their intentions to stay .
Tews, Michel, Xu, and Drost (2015) have conducted research to identify what else matters apart from workplace fun. The findings show that rewards, praise, perceived career opportunities and job responsibilities predict embeddedness (Tews et al., 2015). Based on these conclusions, it is evident that employees in the hospitality sector need motivation in terms of encouragement and assignment of duty. However, workplace fun is maintained to be the key factor in predicting their retention rates. In this way, Tews, Michel, and Allen (2014) assert that the notion continues to be the predominant aspect that shapes turnover levels in the industry. On the contrary, Moncarz, Zhao, and Kay (2009) argue that training practices, hiring and corporate culture influence employee retention.
Chan (2019) supports the assertions of Tews et al. (2014) and Tews et al. (2015) by stating that workplace fun in the hospitality industry is crucial for the purposes of improving employee and team performance. Furthermore, Chan (2019) claims that better working environment and job satisfaction are created by workplace fun. According to Yang, Wan, and Fu (2012), the difference between expectations and reality is a major factor that contributes to turnover rates. Nevertheless, Chan (2019) notes that based on the employers’ and employees’ views, workplace fun is supported by divergent views. The study recommends future investigators to examine the question deeper.
Based on a conceptual framework proposed by Naim and Lenka (2018) to evaluate generation Y workers’ retention and development, competency is an essential aspect. In this case, an organisation must employ effective strategies to enhance their expertise during their workplace experience. The conceptual framework of Naim and Lenka (2018) suggests the companies to consider such elements as knowledge sharing, social media, strategic leadership and mentorship to improve competency development. On the same note, a study conducted by Gupta (2019) highlights that expertise is shaped by talents and workplace processes as they strongly determine the relationship with generation Y employees . Therefore, investment in competency development by the organisations working in the hospitality industry facilitates the enhancement of talent growth and improvement of the staff’s skills to execute their roles more efficiently . Operating in an organisation that has relied heavily on the management dimensions of skills motivates the workers to embrace new regulations and improve their performance. Hence, they will be encouraged to stay longer in a company. As a result, the conceptual framework proposed by Naim and Lenka (2018) is applicable and useful to address the experience and retention issues of a specific generation. However, Chang, Wang, and Huang (2013) indicate that previous literature establishes a negative relationship between competency development and turnover intentions, thus questioning the applicability of the proposed conceptual model .
Gentry et al. (2007) study the impact of unemployment rate and supervisory support climate on part-time workers, and the results reveal that perceived encouragement levels have a positive correlation with retention rates. It suggests that apart from the organisational support identified by Karatepe (2012), the supervisor’s appraisal in various workplaces significantly determines the rates of retention in the hospitality sector. Hence, the arguments of Gentry et al. (2007) justify the significance of training workers, supervisors and managers, as noted by Malek et al. (2018). Nonetheless, the study of Gentry et al. (2007) highlights that ‘region-level’ unemployment rate is associated with the retention level of part-time workers.
These arguments mean that although an organisation working in the hospitality sector implements all the effective strategies to retain the staff, the levels of unemployment create a dilemma for maintaining them for a long period of time. In this case, a company may resort to involuntary turnover and regular hiring of new workers as a part of their corporate social responsibility to support and address the challenges faced in their area of operations. As a result, there are high turnover rates even of the experienced employees since they are not guaranteed the security of their jobs.
On the other hand, Leeman and Reynolds (2012) have investigated the impact of outsourcing and trust on the buyers’ and employees’ retention in the hospitality sector.
Leeman and Reynolds (2012) argue that communication between management and workers greatly influences the loyalty, productivity and retention of the staff. Additionally, the establishment of the strategies aimed at retaining employees affects their competency and ability to interact with customers effectively. As a result, the personnel create a suitable environment for the buyers to continue purchasing the company’s services and products. Similarly, Albattat and Som (2013) believe that an organisation’s trust in the staff affects turnover intentions. This argument implies that workers are more likely to operate in the hospitality and tourism sector whenever a company relies on their performance and services. Therefore, trust does retain customers, maintain employees and change their perspectives about their intentions to stay.
The experience of the staff is shaped by the mediation measures and management mechanisms used by a company to address job stress and enhance satisfaction (Tongchaiprasit and Ariyabuddhiphongs, 2016). They encounter different challenges and pressure, which result in tension. An organisation’s ability to identify and intervene with appropriate measures is crucial towards improving employees’ job satisfaction. Tongchaiprasit and Ariyabuddhiphongs (2016) argue that stress and contentment have a strong relationship with turnover intentions. Similarly, Abelson (1987) avers that organisational commitment and satisfaction help change the staff’s attitudes to the withdrawal from their responsibilities . On the other hand, Obiora and Okpu (2015) claim that an organisation’s fair judgment of ideas and acceptance of work encourage creativity among workers in the hospitality field. A company should consider all factors, including creativity and appreciation, and offer the staff the opportunity to control their duties. Hence, they are motivated to use their professional judgments to identify and solve problems that are not yet discovered by management. As a consequence, employees help build a corporate culture that recognises and promotes creativity (Obiora and Okpu, 2015).
According to Van der Heijden et al. (2018), the workers’ demands are positively correlated with turnover intentions, but their experiences and job resources do not affect such plans. Similarly, Hom, Griffeth, and Sellaro (1984) emphasise that inability to meet job requirements accelerates dissatisfaction, thus resulting in the individuals making decisions of leaving an organisation and withdrawing from their responsibilities. These arguments indicate that companies have a responsibility of improving job satisfaction by addressing and attending to the employees’ demands. In addition, Muchinsky and Tuttle (1979) agree with the claims of Hom et al. (1984) by asserting that a positive experience of the staff is shaped by work-related issues, job satisfaction and personal characteristics, which are related to turnover. Hence, while organisations aim at providing high-quality services and products, they must effectively manage and meet the work-related demands of the employees, who are the major assets in business operations .
There are two major types of employee turnover, which include voluntary and involuntary. The former entails the staff who willingly choose to leave their positions in a company. In contrast, involuntary turnover implies an employee whose status is being terminated or who is forced to resign from their position unwillingly (Preenen et al., 2011; Kim et al., 2018; Parker and Gerbasi, 2018; Dwesini, 2019). Each of these types of turnover is influenced by such factors as the company’s decision, external pressure and challenges within a firm, which create negative employee experience, as discussed below. Hesford, Malina, and Pizzini (2016) argue that the differentiation of involuntary and voluntary turnovers is helpful for a sector to accurately track the effectiveness of turnover performance. This recommendation is crucial, especially when an organisation or industry seeks to determine the factors contributing to the situation in skilled and unskilled jobs.
Based on the study of Preenen et al. (2011), which has investigated the management of difficult roles and voluntary management, employees are likely to resort to voluntary turnover when faced with problematic assignments that they cannot manage.
However, Preenen et al. (2011) state that voluntary turnover could be reduced if an organisation monitors and addresses challenges and observes employees’ job search behaviour. On the same note, Price (2001) ensures that voluntary turnover could be determined by organisational commitment, satisfaction, job search behaviour, general training, available opportunities, stress, autonomy, social support, pay, distributed justice and routinisation. Based on the above arguments, Preenen et al. (2011) and Price (2001) agree that voluntary turnover can only be reduced by effectively managing the employees’ concerns and the organisation being committed to its responsibilities. Such issues as job stress cannot be detected and managed by a company accordingly unless it uses the proper mechanisms of monitoring progress and performance. Similarly, Taylor and Finley (2010) emphasise that a strong relationship between building, training, orientation and accurate preview of jobs is essential in increasing retention and decreasing turnover, especially among seasonal employees. Hence, these approaches determine and estimate the intentions of stay and turnover.
Kim et al. (2018) have conducted research on job crafting and antecedent impacts based on an organisational level technique, where the findings indicate that voluntary turnover could be significantly reduced by improving job satisfaction. In this case, Kim et al. (2018) agree with the claims of Chang and Busser (2020) by noting that perceived organisational support contributes to job and task crafting, which result in the workers’ feeling accommodated within a company’s management; thus, they are likely to perform their tasks more effectively .
Moreover, Lucas (2009) argues that concomitant features and low recognition are associated with high turnover and low membership rates in the British hospitality sector. It means that they determine the intentions of people to stay or leave an organisation or field. On the other hand, the study of Dhanpat et al. (2018) has concluded that there is a strong correlation between voluntary turnover (employees’ intentions to leave) and retention factors, such as compensation. These findings support Price’s (2001) assertions by indicating that the payment for the work done is a critical predictor of an organisation to retain workers. Therefore, apart from organisational support and commitment to encouraging employees, a company should adopt the best mechanisms of rewarding their staff with the most competitive salaries in the industry.
Based on a study conducted by Harris and Ellis (2018) on the issues contributing to the involuntary turnover of people seeking leadership in an organisation, pressures and several competing demands result in negative tendencies. On the same note, Knight and Latreille (2000) believe that involuntary turnover may occur because of worker’s poor performance or not being suitable for a particular position. Contrarily, Parker and Gerbasi (2016) argue that involuntary turnover could be reduced by people’s positive engagement with other team members.
In this case, although an employee may encounter pressure due to the difficulty level of tasks assigned or lack of sufficient skills, regular engagement with others in the workplace minimises the risk of involuntary turnover. Additionally, Parker and Gerbasi (2016) disagree with Harris and Ellis (2018) and Knight and Latreille (2000) by stating that involuntary turnover may not be necessarily caused by competing pressure as a company may choose to outsource its work or downsize the organisational population for the purpose of regaining its competitive advantage to sustainable levels. Hence, even experienced workers may be fired because of the decision.
Dwesini (2019) has conducted a review of the factors contributing to high turnover rates in the hospitality sector based on secondary data. The findings indicate that the notion could be measured under the basis of the number of employees who have resigned unwillingly. Due to the pressure from the top leadership of an organisation or unavoidable challenges, they may choose to resign. Hence, determining the number of people who have left a company can help identify the rate of involuntary turnover in the hospitality and tourism sector.
Furthermore, Dwesini (2019) supports Parker and Gerbasi’s (2016) results by identifying early retirement, layoffs, downsizing or restructuring of an organisation as the major determinants of involuntary turnover. However, Dwesini (2019) states that most experienced and talented workers are likely to voluntarily leave a company since they consider multiple opportunities outside the field. On the contrary, Campos-Soria, Garcia-Pozo, and Sánchez-Ollero (2015) state that employees leave different hospitality industry firms not because they are looking for occupational mobility but in order to improve their working conditions. Hence, voluntary and involuntary turnover contributes to approximately 81% rates, particularly in Spain (Campos-Soria et al., 2015). Employees’ intentions to leave and search for new job opportunities can measure both involuntary and voluntary turnover.
Mas and Pallais (2020) have investigated alternative work arrangements, where the concept is defined by “both by working conditions and by workers ’ relationship to their employers (p.1).” According to Mas and Pallais (2020), alternative arrangements enable the staff to efficiently and flexibly perform their duties under a specific schedule. Hence, they can engage in other activities, for instance, spend time with family and attend to other functions that they deem important without the restrictions of a controlled environment. Conversely, Tag-Eldeen and Shawky (2013) ensure that employers might offer alternative work arrangements under specific business requirements that the personnel must adhere to.
In this case, they are established by a mutual agreement between the two parties. If workers can perform their tasks effectively according to the business needs , involuntary turnover is reduced. Similarly, when employers provide better working conditions under the arrangement and set conditions, voluntary turnover is significantly reduced. Nevertheless, Tag-Eldeen and Shawky (2013) argue that in order to maintain accuracy and fairness for both stakeholders under alternative work arrangements, it is crucial to adopt effective recording systems and procedures.
An investigation conducted by Hom and Kinicki (2001) assessing the relationship between job dissatisfaction and employee turnover indicates that alternative jobs contribute to the intentions to stay in the labour market and within a company. Some of the workers who have left their positions to pursue alternative opportunities are likely to cause involuntary turnover in case the new options are more satisfying.
More importantly, Hom and Kinicki (2001) state that alternative job arrangements allow the staff to manage their time and distribute resources per their decisions, which is different from working in a controlled and regulated environment . Similarly, Holtom et al. (2008) establish a strong correlation between job dissatisfaction and turnover rates, where alternatives and organisational commitment are the main determinants. However, Holtom et al. (2008) note that employees’ intentions to leave a specific job are influenced by the success of acquiring an alternative job opportunity. These assertions mean that if the staff have this possibility, they are likely to leave a company or industry involuntarily. If they fail to secure an opportunity in the alternative arrangement, they may stay in their positions unless they are fired but still lead to involuntary turnover.
In addition, Holtom et al. (2008) argue that job satisfaction is a critical element that determines the retention and turnover of the people who already have alternative work arrangements. In this regard, if employees consider receiving more satisfaction in their workplaces compared to alternative settings, they may reconsider their intentions to leave a company and vice versa. Similarly, Vetráková et al. (2020) posit that job satisfaction significantly determines voluntary or involuntary turnover since a more motivated and satisfied employee can work effectively and deliver more quality services.
Their intentions of seeking alternative arrangements are reduced REF?. Dissatisfied people show poor performance, which may negatively affect organisational operations because customer service is bad. In hotels, the quality of employees’ work-life balance is positively associated with the clients’ satisfaction level (Vetráková et al., 2020). Hence, high turnover affects both a company and its customers, leading to the loss of trust and search for alternative work arrangements because poor performance presents a high chance of involuntary turnover caused by layoffs and other organisational decisions.
Asimah (2018) has conducted a study on the determinants of labour turnover in the Ghana hospitality sector.
The findings support the claims of Vetráková et al. (2020) and Holtom et al. (2008) by establishing a positive association between job satisfaction and organisational commitment to supporting employees in performing their duties. According to Asimah (2018), job dissatisfaction has contributed to the majority of the workers seeking alternative job opportunities and voluntarily leaving their current organisations. Moreover, the study supports Dwesini’s (2019) and Holtom et al.’s (2008) assertions that only the employees who have alternative jobs choose to leave a company. Notably, Asimah (2018) claims that most workers having alternative arrangements are rather skilled. Hence, employees’ voluntary turnover poses critical challenges to the companies since only poorly performing people are left to work for a company and serve the customers. On the other hand, even the remaining staff do not offer quality operations because the rate of withdrawal behaviour increases, thus making a firm less competitive in the market unless it hires new highly skilled workers (Asimah, 2018).
Hughes and Rog (2008) have investigated talent management based on the strategies for enhancing employee retention rates in hospitality organisations. The results indicate that as more workers become older and approach the retirement age, they continuously seek alternative work arrangements that can cater for their interests. This study raises another concern requiring further investigation to establish the relationship between employee turnover and alternative work arrangements.
On the contrary, Mooney, Harris, and Ryan (2016) argue that such opportunities emerge when most undergraduates enter the labour market and encounter the challenges that influence them to seek more opportunities. In case the jobs do not satisfy their needs and expectations due to lower pay or poor working environment, they tend to voluntarily withdraw from their current positions and look for alternative jobs with better income or conditions.
Therefore, since the findings of Mooney et al. (2016) are more recent, they are reliable and allow to conclude that the organisations working in the hospitality sector must be aware of the possible challenges associated with high rates of nee?? workers’ turnover and establish strategies for maintaining fresh talents and skills in the market. These may include understanding their future projections and anticipations when joining a company.
