International Journal of Advance Study and Research Work (2581-5997)/ Volume 4/Issue 5/May 2021

Determining the Quality of Hotel Employees

Chitra Sharma
Department of Hotel Management and Catering Technology, AISSMS, Pune, India
Email Id: chitra02sharma@gmail.com

DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.4883031

Abstract

The employees of any organization are an essential resource because they help execute the task and actively shape and create
the institution's reputation. Similarly, in the hotel industry, they are perhaps the most important resource. Therefore, we need
to understand the variables that shape and enhance the quality of a hotel employee. This paper will look at the work and
non-work-related variables that affect the quality of an employee. Along with this, we have also conducted a sample survey to
understand the consensus about those variables and their interplay with the quality of the employees. Communication skills
and responsiveness came up as the supreme skill for a good hotel employee during the survey.

Keywords: Quality, Hotel Employee, Reliability, Tangibility, Behavior, Appearance, and Communication Introduction

Introduction
Employees working in a Hotel make up the human resource of the organization. Their performance determines the success or
failure of the venture. This variable can be invested upon and polished to achieve the highest productivity of an organization.
According to studies conducted by Ulrich and colleagues in 1991, they found that the three existed a correlation between the
employees’ dedication to the hotel and customer satisfaction (Ulrich, 1991). Other similar studies show that there exists a
mutually beneficial relationship between the satisfaction of employees and customers (Hoseong Jeon, 2012). Therefore, the
quality of the employees, performance, and job satisfaction is a decisive factor in the successful running of a hotel. the quality of
the hotel employee is also a cultural construct because the expectancy from a hotel employee differs from country to country. for
example- American tourists and customers look for the ability to solve problems and speak English properly. Whereas those in
Taiwan, the customers look for politeness irrespective of the background of the customer (Kuo, 2007). Through this paper, this
variable will be assessed. The quality of a hotel employee will be analyzed on three variables. The variables will be behavior and
appearance of the hotel employee, tangibility available and provided, and reliability of the hotel employee.

Review of literature
The variables that affect the quality of hotel employees can be broadly categorized as “work variables” and “non-work
variables”. The work variables include work hours, stress, and the schedule of work (Ling, 2001). from the studies conducted by
researchers like Anderson and Ungemah (1999), it is evident that most employees prefer working in variable shifts. The reason
for this could be that with the increase in the prevalence of nuclear families and both the partners going to work, it becomes
more convenient to work in variable shifts. Work stress can also negatively affect the well-being of the employees. There is a
positive relationship between work-related stress and cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, and overweight (Rödel, 2006).
Another work-related stress is the support network of the employee. This is especially potent for women who have to face work-
family conflict and cover ‘second shift’. This affects the performance of the employee (Asbari, 2020).
The non-work-related stress also affects the performance of an employee. They include gender, parental demand, and working
spouse (C.T. Chik, 2014). All of these factors work independently and interactively. Gender influences the type of work a
person performs. Women are more likely to enter into work that requires administrative or nurturing roles. These jobs are called
pink-collard jobs. It is difficult for them to move up the ladder as they are faced with what is sociologically called the “glass
ceiling”. They also have no access to mentors. Parental demands determine the support network of a person. If there is a
presence of a support network then that person is more likely to be able to handle stress and work effectively. Lastly, the
presence of a working spouse, makes it difficult for the person to establish a work-life balance. Therefore, policies like Creche
and daycare center make it easier for the employee to work.

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 International Journal of Advance Study and Research Work (2581-5997)/ Volume 4/Issue 5/May 2021

In this paper, we will look at three types of variables that overlap between the work and non-work variables. Thisis elucidated in
graph 1.

work variables-
work stress, work
hours, and
scheduel

overarching variables-
behaviour and
apprearence, tangibility,
and relaibility

non-work
variables-
parental
demands,
working spouse,
and gender

Graph- 1 variables affecting quality of a hotel employee

1. Behavior and appearance of the hotel employee

The distinguishing feature of the hotel and tourism industry is the human factor. Successful brands like Disney or Marriot have capitalized on
this. They have set a standard of expectancy that has become the benchmark of excellence. In a study conducted by Grove and Martin (2002)
they found out that the two most important criterion that hotel employers were looking in their staff was pride in appearance and a good
attitude (Martin, 2002).
This new development is termed the ‘aesthetic labor’. It is defined as “a supply of ‘embodied capacities and attributes ‘possessed by workers
(Warhurst, 2000, p. 4)”. Its origin stems from the need to place good-looking people in association with one’s brand. Therefore, the
manifestation can also differ. For example- sometimes they may be in the form of models whereas at other times in the form of uniforms. This
is a form of consumer culture. It has a negative side as well. It is based on exploiting the self-consciousness of the person. As Pettinger (2008)
points out that all definitions of aesthetic labor should account for the “tension between what is presumed about the worker and what they
should ‘work on (Pettinger, 2008, p. 330).”
In the hotel industry behavior and appearance of the employee forms the part of aesthetic labor. It influences customer satisfaction and
therefore, is an important determinant in determining the quality of the staff. The appearance or grooming of an employee is important because
it helps create the first impression of the hotel. therefore, most hotels look for posh aesthetics. This includes- uniform, hair, nail, body odor and
breath, and body language as well as facial expressions. The person should be well-groomed. In a sense, men should either be shaved or well-
trimmed their beards and women should wear minimal make-up and nude shades of nail polish. Both of them should wear cologne or perfume
that should be mild. The uniform is often simple and doesn’t have much work on it. Body piercings or tattoos are not permitted. Rings are
allowed but they need to be plain and simple. Therefore, in totality, the appearance should project a chic and posh persona.
The behavior of the employees should be courteous and polite. They should display the ability to function under high amounts of stress and
social arousal. Self-control is another major factor. These behavioral tenens are important in determining an employees’ quality. In the covid-
19 pandemic world, these behaviors are also changing. For instance- digital means have become a popular medium of interaction between
employees and guests.
2. Tangibility available and provided
It includes all those products that are sold to the guest. It refers to those aspects of a service that can be felt without actually purchasing them
(Panda & Das, 2014). Therefore, in this paper the word ‘tangibility’ will be used in this connotation. They are an important determinant in
customer satisfaction (Tahir Albayrak, 2010, p. 143). It includes the attention paid by the employees to the guest. Besides this, it also includes
the amenities and necessities present within the hotel. for example- restaurants and menus, swimming pools, internet, shower and water in
the bathrooms, etc. these all contribute towards

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 International Journal of Advance Study and Research Work (2581-5997)/ Volume 4/Issue 5/May 2021

building a sustainable attitude. The hotel can satisfy the guest, therefore it gains a client-centric reputation (Dražen Marić, 2016).
3. Reliability of the hotel employee
It refers to the time of providing service following the time that was promised (Fazlović, 2014). It is one of the central determining qualities of
a hotel. if a quest considers that the hotel isn’t reliable this would influence their perception of all the other aspects of service. The only way to
ensure reliability is by ensuring that the staff is meticulous and works on time. Another aspect of reliability is consistency i.e., the service
provided should be provided with the same efficiency over a while. Service should be flawless, provided on time (consistently), and the
employees should pay attention to the guest’s needs.

Methodology
To measure the quality of hotel employees we have looked at three dimensions of guest satisfaction. Guest satisfaction is the
benchmark on which the quality of both the hotel and the employee is judged. To measure these dimensions, we have created a
questioner
This questionnaire consists of 15 questions. The questions are as follows (table 1)-

Table 1- questions used during the sample

Behavior and Appearance of the hotel Tangibility available and provided Reliability of the hotel employee
employee
1. The behavior of the hotel staff should instill
1. aromatic oil scents and candlesenhance 1.the A hotel should have staff thatdevotes
confidence in theguests. stay experience personal attention to its guests.
2. Hotel staff should constantlybe courteous2.to presence of spa, yoga or wellness retreat2.in Guests need to feel safe whenit comes to
the guests the hotel improves the stay experience communicating with the hotel staff.
3. bright nail polish and visible accessories3.on good water quality, including hot/cold water
3. A hotel should give individual attention to
the hotel staff isacceptable and water pressure, should be necessaryfor each guest.
4. loose hair, hair falling on the face, or facial the hotel 4. Hotel staff should always be prepared to
hair on the hotelstaff is acceptable 4. during rush hours is it okay to keep the respond to guestdemands
5. uniformed outfits for the hotelstaff should be guest's call on hold orcut the call 5. it is acceptable for the hotel staff to ask for
mandatory 5. pleasant ambiance including soothing music the feedback oropinions of the quest
and light helps
hotel employees perform better

The sample size consisted of 40 people between the ages of 30 to 40. the sex composition was 18 men and 22 women. They
were asked to rate these questions on a linear scale consisting of three dimensions- yes, no, and neutral.

Results and discussion

The analysis of the result is done to measure the three dimensions of the quality of a hotel employee. They are as follows-
1. Behavior and appearance of the hotel employee:
The majority of the people agreed that the behavior of the hotel staff should be courteous and instill confidence. To assess the
behavioral aspect of the quality of hotel staff, the two questioned used looked at the staff’s attitude and behavior. Everyone
agreed i.e., 40, that a confident personality was a desirable trait in hotel staff. Whereas, ninety percent of all agreed i.e., 36, that
courteousness was another behavioral tenet. This result is elucidated in graph 2.

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 Behaviour of the Hotel employee quality
International Journal of Advance Study and Research Work (2581-5997)/ Volume 4/Issue
no 5/May 2021
neutral yes

behaviour of the staff should be courteous

type of question

behaviour of the staff should instil confidence

0 20 40 60 80 100 120

number of responses

Graph 2- Behavior of the hotel employee quality

To assess the importance of appearance, we choose three questions that looked at three aspects of appearance- hair, uniform, and
nails. Just as above, people were supposed to mark where the posed appearance behavior is acceptable or not. Half of the people
agreed i.e., 20, that bright nail polish is unacceptable. Whereas 27 people agreed that unkept hair is unacceptable. 27 people
also agreed that uniforms should be mandatory for hotel staff. This result is elucidated in graph 3.

Appearence of the Hotel Employee quality no neutral yes

uniformed outfits should be mandatory

type of question

loose hair, hair falling on the face, or facial hair is acceptable

Bright nail polish is acceptable

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80

number of responses

Graph 3- Appearance of the hotel employee quality

2. Tangibility available and provided:
To assess the tangibility, we used five questions that assessed external and staff-related efforts that will help determine the
effectiveness of an employee and hotel. The majority of people i.e., 38 agreed that ambiance and, i.e., 40, the smell of the rooms
and hotel makes an enormous impact on the experience of their stay. A large number of people i.e., 28, also agreed that
additional amenities, as well as necessary amenities like spa or yoga retreat or continuous water supply (T-38), enhanced their
stay. And finally, a majority of people i.e., 28, considered it not alright to be kept on hold during busy hours. As elucidated in
graph 4.

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 International Journal of Advance Study and Research Work (2581-5997)/ Volume 4/Issue 5/May 2021

Tangibilities and Its Effect on Hotel Employees Quality no neutral yes

type of question

during rush hours it is okay to keep the guest's call on hold

good quality and continuous water supply is necessary

presence of spa or yoga retreat helps enhance stay

pleasant ambiance helps employees perform better

aromatic oil scents and candles enhance the experience of stay

0 20 40 60 80 100 120

number of response

Graph 4- tangibility and its effect in hotel employee quality

3. Reliability of the employee:

To assess the effect of reliability on the quality of hotel employees. We look at five questions that assessed the effect of personal
attention, communication, feedback, and response on the quality of the staff. A majority of the people i.e., 40, believe that
personal attention to the guest is an important tenant. All of the participants believe that good communication is an essential key,
and a majority i.e., 32, believes that responsiveness and feedback are also essential. As elucidated in graph 5.

Reliablity and Its Effect on Hotel Employee Quality no neutral yes

Hotel should give individual attention to each guest.

it is acceptable for the hotel staff to ask for the feedback or

opinions of the quest
type of question

Hotel staff should always be prepared to respond to guest

demands
Guests need to feel safe when it comes to communicating with
the hotel staff
Hotel should have staff which devotes personal attention to its
guests

0 20 40 60 80 100 120

number of responses

Graph 5- reliability and its effect on hotel employee quality

The overall result of the survey was that people prefer a sense of responsibility, professionals, and reliability from the hotel
employees. Therefore, tenants like kempt appearance, professional behavior, a sense of reliability, ability to solve problems
quickly, and communication are important in determining the quality of the employees. People also don’t like to be delayed and
therefore, if an employee is unpunctual or incompetent then this would affect their quality. The result is emanated in graph 6.

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 International Journal of Advance Study and Research Work (2581-5997)/ Volume 4/Issue 5/May 2021

1. communication and responsiveness

2. reliability- ability to provide services

that are demanded in real time

3. professional attire

4. polite and courteous behaviour

5. responsible behaviour

6. ammenties present in the hotel

Graph 6- Result of the Study

Scope for further study
The conclusion of the study proposes the important factors that determine the effectiveness of the hotel employee but they look
at only intrinsic factors i.e. those that can be controlled by the employee themselves. A wider implication can be that the hotels
look at those factors within their organization which facilities in the growth of their employee and also identify those factors that
hinder the growth. This way a more comprehensiveanalysis can be done.

Conclusion
Through this paper, we have tried to elucidate the variables that affect the impression of a hotel employee and thereafter
determine their quality. Through the study of past literature and conducting a sample survey, we have determined the variables
that affect the quality of hotel employees. These variables include- communication and responsiveness, reliability, professional
attire and behavior, and amenities available in the hotel. the effect of communication is greatest because all of the participants
agreed unanimously to the same. One can effectively conclude that personality type also considerably affects the efficiency of
the employee. Most of the participants believe that pleasant personality types who have the traits of cooperation and cordialness
are of utmost importance. besides this, another important factor is the quality of leadership and self-efficacy (Shaoping Qiua,
2020). Leadership determines to what extent will the potential of the employee be used. A good leader will identify the lacking
in their staff and help them improve in that field. They would also place people in different positions according to the abilities of
the person. Self-efficacy is another tenant of any efficient employee. It refers to a person’s belief that they can or cannot perform
a task. People high on self-efficacy are seen in a favorable light because they emit an aura of confidence and charisma.

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