Motivational Job Satisfaction of Small Hotel Employees in Kingston, Jamaica.
The purpose of this study is to examine whether or not small hotel employees in Kingston are satisfied with the realization of their motivational preferences established by D. Crawford (2008). This study also focuses on the relationship between dependant motivational preferences, such as Pay and Appreciation, and independant variables, such as Gender and Age. Research was conducted through mainly quantitative and few qualitative elements. The quantitative instrument was a structured questionnaire and the qualitative portion of the study was unstructured interviews with hotel managers. The study generated a 81.8 percent response rate with 90 accurately completed questionnaires from six different small hotels in Kingston, Jamaica. The survey was statistically analysed using Crosstabs and Frequency Analysis in SPSS. Results of the study revealed that employees are dissatisfied with three of the five most important motivational preferences, namely Pay, Appreciation and Participation in Decision-Making. Further, the study found that the independant variables Age, Gender, Education and Tenure influence the satisfaction with the dependant variables, especially Appreciation and Participation in Decision-Making. This study will help to indicate areas that need attention from a managerial standpoint and it will contribute to job satisfaction research in the Caribbean.
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
1.1 Overview
1.2 Problem Statement
1.3 Rationale and Significance of the Study
2 Literature Review
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Job Satisfaction
2.3 Job Motivation
2.4 Job Factors
2.4.1 Pay
2.4.2 Appreciation
2.4.3 Working Conditions
2.4.4 Interesting Job
2.4.5 Participation in Decision-Making
2.5 Demographic Variables
2.5.1 Age
2.5.2 Generations
2.5.3 Gender
2.5.4 Education
2.5.5 Tenure
3 Methodology
3.1 Research Questions and Hypotheses
3.2 Research Design
3.3 Sample
3.4 Instrument and Measures
3.5 Data Collection Method
3.6 Data Analysis Procedure
4 Results
5 Discussion
Research Objectives and Topics
This study aims to examine whether small hotel employees in Kingston, Jamaica, are satisfied with the realization of specific motivational preferences established in previous research (Crawford, 2008), while investigating the influence of demographic variables on these satisfaction levels.
- Analysis of employee satisfaction regarding pay, appreciation, working conditions, job interest, and participation in decision-making.
- Evaluation of how demographic factors such as age, generation, gender, education, and tenure impact job satisfaction.
- Assessment of the alignment between employees' preferred motivators and their actual satisfaction in the workplace.
- Identification of management focus areas to improve human resource management and overall hotel operations.
Excerpt from the Book
2.4.1 Pay
According to Pattullo (2005), it is mostly small, locally-owned, hotels that pay low wages (p. 70). However, satisfactory pay might not be the only factor that contributes to high job satisfaction and job performance. The contrary, Carter (1997) claims that monetary pay has different influences on job satisfaction than it does on performance motivation. Therefore, a worker who is hardly motivated might have a higher job satisfaction than those who are more motivated doing the same job. To complicate this matter, satisfactory pay is highly subjective and depends on the perceptions of the worker, as he compares his perceived performance level and income with that of others. As proposed by Elliott Jaques, people have the capability of comparing and realizing differences between their actual payment and the payment that would seem appropriate for the work done.
Hence, we can conclude that workers are capable of stating whether or not they are satisfied with their pay. Only 6 percent of Jamaican tourism workers are satisfied with their pay, compared to 24% percent satisfied supervisors in the same industry. According to Carter, such pay dissatisfaction is depending on the utilization of worker education and knowledge, the cost of living of the worker, the development and training opportunities and the value of the work done. For example, 76 percent of tourism employees feel that in terms of their education and performance, their pay is unjust.
Summary of Chapters
1 Introduction: This chapter outlines the study's background, focusing on Jamaican hospitality workers' motivational preferences, and defines the core problem regarding employee satisfaction and resource limitations in small hotels.
2 Literature Review: This section reviews existing theories on job satisfaction, motivation, and specific job factors, while analyzing demographic variables such as age, gender, and education in the context of tourism employment.
3 Methodology: This chapter describes the research design, detailing the use of quantitative questionnaires and qualitative interviews, as well as the sampling technique used to collect data from small hotels in Kingston.
4 Results: This chapter presents the statistical findings derived from the survey data, evaluating employee satisfaction levels across various job factors and investigating the impact of demographic variables.
5 Discussion: This final chapter interprets the research findings, addresses the formulated hypotheses, and provides managerial recommendations for improving employee motivation and satisfaction within the Jamaican small hotel sector.
Keywords
Job satisfaction, motivation, small hotel employees, Kingston, Jamaica, demographic variables, pay, appreciation, working conditions, participation in decision-making, human resource management, hospitality industry, survey analysis, employee turnover, Herzberg’s two-factor theory.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this research?
The study investigates whether employees in small hotels in Kingston, Jamaica, are satisfied with five key motivational factors: pay, appreciation, working conditions, the interesting nature of the job, and participation in decision-making.
What are the central themes examined in the study?
The central themes include the relationship between employee motivation and satisfaction, the impact of demographic traits on workplace attitudes, and the challenges faced by small and medium-sized enterprises in the tourism sector.
What is the main research objective?
The primary goal is to determine if the motivational preferences identified by Crawford (2008) are being fulfilled in small hotels and to identify how demographic variables influence these satisfaction outcomes.
Which scientific methods were employed?
The study utilized a descriptive research design with primarily quantitative methods, involving structured questionnaires distributed to 90 employees, supplemented by qualitative unstructured interviews with hotel managers.
What does the main body of the work cover?
The main body covers a comprehensive literature review of job factors, the methodological approach for data collection and analysis, the presentation of survey results, and a critical discussion of the implications for the tourism industry.
Which keywords best characterize the work?
Key terms include job satisfaction, motivation, hospitality, small hotels, demographics, and organizational behavior.
How does the level of education affect employee satisfaction?
The findings indicate that more educated employees, particularly those with university degrees, report lower satisfaction levels with factors such as appreciation, interesting work, and participation in decision-making.
What is the relationship between job tenure and satisfaction?
The research suggests that employees are generally more satisfied when they are new to a job, whereas those with longer tenure tend to report lower satisfaction, particularly concerning participation in decision-making.
What role does gender play in job satisfaction according to the study?
The data revealed that female employees in the study felt less appreciated than their male counterparts and were generally more dissatisfied across several job factor categories.
- Citation du texte
- Cindy Hertel (Auteur), 2010, Motivational Job Satisfaction of Small Hotel Employees in Kingston, Jamaica., Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/265924
