The employee factor in family-run tourism businesses

This project was carried out in cooperation with the Family Business Center from MCI.

Background

Despite slightly lower employee turnover than in non-family businesses, the challenge for family-run hotels and restaurants lies in the provision and implementation of personnel development measures, flexible working time models and strengthening employee loyalty (Buonocuore, 2010). Employer branding helps to recruit qualified staff and achieve a better fit between employees and the company. From a practical point of view, it is essential for our domestic small family businesses to gain a better understanding of applicants' intentions and to learn more about the impact of their employer image. Since strategic orientation and a willingness to innovate are often challenges in such companies (Pikkemaat & Zehrer, 2016), an awareness of their own image can be seen as a particular advantage.

Objective

The aim of the project is to survey the sector identity of the hotel and catering industry in relation to entrepreneurs and employees in tourism. In addition, employee satisfaction and improvement measures are to be examined.

The analysis will identify areas where action is needed and the results will then help to propose concrete recommendations for action for family-run tourism businesses.

Central questions

• How do entrepreneurs and employees perceive the image of their own industry?
• What strengths and weaknesses do the entrepreneurs and employees see in the industry?
• What management principles do the entrepreneurs have?
• How satisfied are employees with various aspects (superiors, pay, etc.)?

Procedure

Following extensive literature research, an online questionnaire was sent to companies in the hotel and catering industry via the Tyrolean Chamber of Commerce and MCI Innsbruck between July 2018 and September 2018. After an initial evaluation of the results, a first focus group discussion was held with selected experts in November 2018, where initial recommendations for action and starting points for further evaluation were developed. The finalized results were then discussed in a focus group with entrepreneurs from the hospitality industry in April 2019 and further recommendations for action were derived.

The results

Excerpts from the results:

• The current image of the hotel and catering industry is viewed rather critically by entrepreneurs and employees.
• The employer image is primarily influenced by pay, promotion opportunities and working hours.
• Entrepreneurs and employees see working hours as the main disadvantage of working in the industry. For employees, pay is also a major disadvantage.
• For employees, the main reasons for leaving the industry are poor pay, working hours, workload and lack of appreciation. Entrepreneurs do not see pay as a reason, but rather the poor image of the industry.
• Employees perceive working with people as the main advantage of working in the hospitality industry. Entrepreneurs see pay as the main benefit.
• Emotional attachment to the workplace has the greatest influence on staying in the industry.
• Appreciation and a sense of belonging strengthen employees' emotional attachment to their jobs.
• Entrepreneurs are largely characterized by an open and cooperative management style.
• The main starting point for improving the image and retaining employees in the industry is the predictability of work.

Literature

Buonocore, F. (2010). Contingent work in the hospitality industry: A mediating model of organizational attitudes. Tourism Management, 31(3), 378-385.

Pikkemaat, B., & Zehrer, A. (2016). Innovation and service experiences in small tourism family firms. International Journal of Culture, Tourism and Hospitality Research, 10(4), 343-360