Journal of Human Resources in Hospitality & Tourism

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Analysis of Job Satisfaction in the Hotel Industry: A Study of Hotels in Spain a

b

Francisco González Santa Cruz , Tomás López-Guzmán & Sandra a

M Sánchez Cañizares

c

a

Department of Business Administration, Faculty of Sciences Work , University of Cordoba , Cordoba , Spain b

Department of Applied Economics, Faculty of Labour Sciences , University of Cordoba , Cordoba , Spain c

Department of Business Organization, Faculty of Law and Business , University of Cordoba , Cordoba , Spain Published online: 07 Dec 2013.

a

To cite this article: Francisco González Santa Cruz , Tomás López-Guzmán & Sandra M Sánchez Cañizares (2014) Analysis of Job Satisfaction in the Hotel Industry: A Study of Hotels in Spain, Journal of Human Resources in Hospitality & Tourism, 13:1, 63-80, DOI: 10.1080/15332845.2013.807394 To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15332845.2013.807394

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Journal of Human Resources in Hospitality & Tourism, 13:63–80, 2014

Copyright © Taylor & Francis Group, LLC ISSN: 1533-2845 print / 1533-2853 online DOI: 10.1080/15332845.2013.807394

Analysis of Job Satisfaction in the Hotel Industry: A Study of Hotels in Spain ´ FRANCISCO GONZALEZ SANTA CRUZ Department of Business Administration, Faculty of Sciences Work, University of Cordoba, Cordoba, Spain


´ LOPEZ-GUZM ´ ´ TOMAS AN Department of Applied Economics, Faculty of Labour Sciences, University of Cordoba, Cordoba, Spain

´ ˜ SANDRA Ma SANCHEZ CANIZARES Department of Business Organization, Faculty of Law and Business, University of Cordoba, Cordoba, Spain

Employees play a key role in the success of businesses today. In the hotel industry, in particular, the study of job satisfaction is of interest as the dedication, effort, and commitment of employees is an essential factor in ensuring customer satisfaction. This research aims to investigate the level of job satisfaction among hotel employees in the province of Cordoba, Spain, and its relationship with specific organizational aspects of hotel businesses. To achieve this goal, a series of hypotheses are proposed and tested using a variety of statistical techniques. The research finds that job satisfaction increases with higher family dependence on employee wages, and that permanent contracts or greater length of service do not increase job satisfaction levels, but working part time does. KEYWORDS

job satisfaction, hotels, human capital, Spain

INTRODUCTION Throughout history, companies have evolved and adjusted to changing conditions in many spheres considered to be crucial to their success and survival, such as culture, the economy, technology, demographics, migratory movements, and others (Werther & Davis, 1995). Particularly in ´ Address correspondence to Tomás Lopez-Guzm´ an, Ph.D., Lecturer, Department of Applied Economics, Faculty of Labour Sciences, University of Cordoba, C/Adarve 30-14071, Cordoba, Spain. E-mail: [email protected] 63


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F. G. Santa Cruz et al.

the 20th century, the focus turned towards organizational variables, such as improving job performance and reducing costs (Gibson, Ivancevich, Donnelly, & Konopaske, 2002). In developed countries today, people dedicate approximately one-third of their day to work. Due to the key role human resources play in organizational aspects of work, they are considered a source of long-term sustainable competitive advantage. Although human resources were once considered an additional cost to be minimized, they are now viewed as one of the best and most productive business investments. As a result, most businesses which are successful during economic downturns such as the current one recognize the importance of human capital in their organizational culture and the strategic gains that can be made from such capital. As highlighted by Alas (2007), organizations are much more than a means of providing goods and services to society. While human capital is important for all businesses, it is especially so for those in the tourism industry, whose management practices differ greatly from other types of companies and organizations. But how can organizations develop skills, enhance knowledge, and promote teamwork and cooperation among their employees, in short, transform the capacity, knowledge, and creativity of people into tangible results? Basically, this can be achieved through human resource management (Lepak & Snell, 1999), and more specifically through greater job satisfaction, which is an important determinant of organizational commitment. According to the study by Hawkins and Lee (1990) on hotel professionals, job satisfaction and professional commitment are two factors that exert a positive influence on the level of organizational commitment. It is therefore necessary to reflect upon the relevance of job satisfaction, given its relationship with the behaviors and outcomes of importance to individuals, businesses, and society in general, and ensure that managers and directors of hotels listen to the thoughts and concerns of their employees (Chiang, 2010). Despite the current global financial crisis, tourism is a robust industry which should be sustained, as it is proving to be resilient to the worst consequence of the economic crisis: unemployment. According to data from the latest WTO World Tourism Barometer (World Tourism Organization, 2011), tourism is directly responsible for 5% of the world’s GDP, 6% of total exports, and employing one out of every 12 people in advanced and emerging economies. The purpose of this research was to examine job satisfaction among hotel industry employees in the province of Cordoba, Spain. Using job satisfaction as the dependent variable, and family dependence on hotel employee wages, type of contract, type of employment, and length of service as independent variables, the specific research objectives are to: (1) Determine how family dependence on wage level affects employee job satisfaction.

A Study of Hotels in Spain

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(2) Analyze the impact of type of contract (in terms of job stability and hours worked) on job satisfaction. (3) Correlate length of service with job satisfaction levels. The significance of this research lies in that it can help hotel managers in understanding, promoting, and managing job satisfaction. More specifically, hotel managers can gain insight into job-related variables that impact on satisfaction with a view to using them as a tool in hotel management. In doing so, managers can foment the variables that are causally related to job satisfaction.


LITERATURE REVIEW Organizations are conceived as a set of behaviors which are influenced by personal and organizational factors. For this reason, it is important to study these behaviors, particularly the factors that determine them in the hotel industry. By doing so, the appropriate organizational practices to promote positive behaviors through job motivation and satisfaction can be identified. Like motivation, job satisfaction is one of the most widely studied variables in the field of organizational behavior, but there is little agreement as to its definition. Some theorists (Seashore, 1974, among others) argue that the concept of job satisfaction is lacking in theory and that there is not a comprehensive doctrine regarding job satisfaction. Most of the definitions proposed of job satisfaction paint a complex and multidimensional picture (Volkwein & Parmley, 2000). In spite of this, Ivancevich and Donnelly (1968) argued that researchers construct a somewhat different, but basically identical definition of job satisfaction, and identified a common denominator that permits categorizing job satisfaction according to two approaches. Some authors have conceptualized job satisfaction as an emotional state, a feeling, an attitude or an affective response to a job situation (see Breckler, 1984; Crites, Fabrigar, & Petty, 1994, among others), while others view job satisfaction as the result of comparing or balancing the expectations, needs or actual outcomes of the position and the benefits of the job (Mason & Griffin, 2002; Wright, 2006). Andersen, Domsch, and Cascorbi (2007) are among the most recent researchers who follow the first approach. For these authors, job satisfaction is a pleasant or positive emotional state resulting from the work experience which is produced when the job satisfies certain individual needs. One year later, Lee and Chang (2008) defined job satisfaction in the broad sense as a general attitude a person has or holds towards his or her job. According to this conceptualization, attitudes should be understood as positive or negative appraisals of objectives, people, and events, and reflect how individuals interpret them. With regards to the second approach, Wright (2006, p. 270)


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notes that job satisfaction represents “an interaction between employees and their work environment by gauging the congruence between what employees want from their jobs and what employees feel they receive.” Finally, it is important to highlight a third approach, which analyzes job satisfaction at the group level. In this line, Mason and Griffin (2002) argue that there are many processes in organizations that occur within groups and that it is important to conceptualize job satisfaction at the group or organizational level. Given that there is no unanimously accepted definition of job satisfaction, it is a difficult task to develop a single, universal method to measure it. As a result, job satisfaction is measured using direct and indirect approaches (Harpaz, 1983). Of the direct approaches, the subjective method is the most common. This method uses job satisfaction questionnaires to identify and estimate employees’ values and needs in their daily life and within the organization. Furthermore, the analysis of determinants of job satisfaction or dissatisfaction has become an area of social interest among researchers. Rahman and Sanzi (1995) found that job satisfaction is not influenced by the same factors across all industries. It is therefore necessary to focus on works dealing specifically with the hotel industry in order to draw relevant conclusions. According to Lee and Way (2010), hotel managers must evaluate and determine the factors that play an important role in fulfilling the expectations employees have of their job. Moreover, they must develop group-oriented programs aimed at improving specific areas of work according to the jobrelated characteristics of the group. Based on that premise, hotel industry researchers and professionals must find effective ways of measuring the factors which mediate employee job satisfaction levels. Going beyond the individual sphere, job satisfaction should be analyzed in a more general context as the result of interactions between individuals and their job positions. By doing so, each member of the organization will have a set of prescriptions and instructions in accordance with his or her post and functions. According to Linz (2003), attitudes towards work are, in general, more influential than the objective characteristics of workers (i.e., age, sex, etc.) in explaining job satisfaction. In light of the review of the literature, the general aim of this research is to examine the concept of employee job satisfaction and determine its importance within the hotel industry of the province of Cordoba, Spain. To achieve this goal, a series of hypotheses related to job position variables are tested to determine if these variables have an effect on employee satisfaction. The hypotheses are described below. Hypothesis 1: Greater family dependence on wages is related to higher job satisfaction levels.

A large portion of the scientific literature has shown that job satisfaction is determined in part by employees’ satisfaction with the wages they receive,


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as wages satisfy a series of physiological needs, are a status symbol and a source of recognition and security, provide more freedom, and are a means to acquire other values and services. Given the limitations in analyzing the relationship between absolute wage level and job satisfaction, this hypothesis tests the degree of dependence the family unit has on the wages earned by the hotel employee as an indicator or relative income (Lam, Zhang, & Baum, 2001; Leung, Smith, Wang, & Sun, 1996; Simon & Enz, 1995 ).


Hypothesis 2: Employees with permanent contracts are more satisfied.

Despite the discrepancies regarding the relationship between job temporality and level of satisfaction, recent studies (Bardasi & Francesconi, 2003; Booth, Francesconi, & Frank, 2002; Kaiser, 2002) have demonstrated that permanent contracts (contracts to provide services for an unlimited period of time) have a positive impact on job satisfaction as they provide greater stability and permit individuals to plan their personal and professional development in the long term. This hypothesis therefore holds that employees with permanent contracts are more satisfied, as this type of contract has an impact on emotional attachment to the organization (Buonocuore, 2010). Hypothesis 3: Job satisfaction is higher among part-time employees.

The hypothesis that part-time workers (employees who work less hours per day, week, month, or year than full-time employees) are more satisfied complements Hypothesis 2. Once again, the literature (Eberhardt & Shani, 1984; Edwards & Robinson, 2011; Miller & Terborg, 1979, among others) arrives at opposing results. Nevertheless, this hypothesis was put forward given that the increasing importance of reconciling work and family life has a clear impact on part-time contracts in so far as they permit employees to balance both facets of their lives due to the negative correlation between working hours and job satisfaction. Hypothesis 4: Job satisfaction decreases with length of service.

The scientific literature on the relationship between length of service and job satisfaction has produced two opposing results. The first suggests that length of service is positively associated with job satisfaction, while the second (which justifies the hypothesis), based on more theoretically grounded works (Smith, Gregory, & Cannon, 1996, among others), holds that length of service has a negative impact on job satisfaction. The basic idea is that monotonous jobs or repetitive work can erode a worker’s interest and hence decrease job satisfaction, or in contrast, that employees with less length of service in the organization are more enthusiastic about the job (or landing their first job) and hence more satisfied.

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METHODOLOGY


Description of the Study Area Spain ranks among the global leaders in tourism, not only in terms of international tourist arrivals and tourism expenditure, but also in terms of its broad experience in providing quality tourism services. In 2011, 56.7 million foreign tourists visited Spain, representing a year-on-year increase of 7.6%, or four million more tourists compared to 2010 (NSI, 2012). Total tourism expenditure in 2011 amounted to almost US $79.78 billion, representing a year-on-year increase of 7.9%. Therefore, 2011 marks the year when the Spanish tourism industry finally recovered following a decline in tourism in 2008 and 2009. According to tourism figures for Andalusia—where Cordoba is located—21.4 million tourists visited the region in 2010. The average expenditure per trip was US $1,446.73, with an average length of stay of nine days. The main items of tourism expenditure were transportation (26.3%), followed by day trips or outings (22.3%), and accommodation (19.7%), with the remaining 15.3% dedicated to food and drink, package travel, and others. Based on these figures, Andalusia ranks fourth on the list of regions with most overnight stays, behind the Balearic Islands, the Canary Islands, and Catalonia. Moreover, the region ranks first in terms of domestic tourism, accounting for more than 20% of the total domestic tourism market in Spain (NSI, 2012). Cordoba is a province of southern Spain, which is located in the centralnorthern part of the region of Andalusia. Cultural and rural tourism are the main types of tourism offered in the province, and stand out for their clear commitment to differentiation based on quality. In contrast to other provinces of Andalusia, where the “sun and beach” mass tourism model predominates, in 2010, Cordoba’s commitment to quality led to a 6% increase in the number of hotels in the province over the previous year (NSI, 2012), while the total number of beds increased by 0.52% in the last year and by 29.21% over the course of the last decade.

Sample and Fieldwork The research consisted of an empirical study of all the hotel establishments in the city and province of Cordoba, with the exception of hostels (establishments that are not independent but occupy a number of floors of a building and offer the same services as a hotel except meals, although some may provide breakfast) and guesthouses (establishments of a lower category than hostels, which often have fewer rooms with only a sink and shared bathrooms). Data on the hotels (location, category, postal address, and telephone number) were provided by HOSTECOR, a non-profit business



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association that brings together a wide variety of hospitality professionals in Cordoba and the province. Due to the importance and complexity of the variables that impact employees in the hospitality industry in Cordoba, the study was extended to include the whole population. The fieldwork, which was carried out from April to October 2010, began by dividing the total area into smaller geographical units to facilitate the subsequent phases of the study. Following this first step, the general managers of the hotels (for whom data were lacking and who in some cases, especially in small hotels, were also the owners of the hotels) were contacted by telephone to inform them of the research project, request their collaboration, and arrange an initial meeting (in person) to explain the aims and methods of the research and deliver the survey. The survey was administered to both the hotel workers and managers. Following the initial meeting and the delivery of the questionnaires, the general managers (or the person in whom they delegated the task) were responsible for explaining the research project and administering the questionnaires to the hotel employees. Participation was voluntary. To ensure confidentiality and increase response rates, the completed questionnaires were placed in a blank envelope and sealed immediately. Approximately two weeks after the first meeting, and upon confirmation by telephone, a member of the research team (the authors of this article) visited each of the hotels again to collect the sealed envelopes containing the completed questionnaires.

Measurement Instrument and Statistical Analysis Once the initial questionnaire was revised and the appropriate changes made, related items were grouped together in four general sections following a structured model with closed-ended questions. The questionnaire was an adapted version of the questionnaire developed by Sánchez Cañizares, López-Guzmán Guzmán, and Millán Vázquez de la Torre (2007). The structure and items of the questionnaire are described below. PART 1, INSTRUCTIONS In this section, respondents were given information regarding the confidentiality and anonymity of the questionnaire and general instructions for its completion. At the end of the section, respondents were thanked for their participation.

PART 2, DATA

ON JOB

POSITION

In this section, respondents were asked a series of questions about the characteristics of their job with a view to analyzing the influence of these

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variables on job satisfaction. The data on job characteristics included the following items:


• • • • • • •

Type of contract: permanent or temporary Type of employment: full-time or part-time Length of service in current workplace Length of service in the hotel industry in general Department in which the employee works Number of working hours per week If the employee is in charge of other staff and how many, and if the employee must report directly to a superior • Normal working shift • Monthly salary (divided into 6 categories: less than €500, €500 to €750, €750 to €1,000, €1,000 to €1,500, €1,500 to €2,500, and more than €2,500) PART 3, JOB SATISFACTION This section aimed to obtain an overall view of the job performed and job satisfaction. The main items included in this section were: • Main reason for working in the hotel industry. • Main disadvantages of the profession, in order of importance (1 or 2). When talking about point 1 or 2, refers to a classification of aspects hotel labor work, highlighting the two main disadvantages in this job is between 10 possible aspects (1, the most important, and 2, the next in that order). These 10 aspects are: the salary, schedules/shifts, peer relationships, relationships with superiors, lack of social importance and prestige of the profession, lack of resources to perform the work, lack of interest work, personal autonomy, other (which should be specified), and, finally, do not know/no answer. • Main advantages or positive aspects of the profession, in order of importance (1 or 2). Similar to the before point, when talking about point 1 or 2, refers to a classification of aspects hotel labor work, highlighting the two main advantages in this job is between 10 possible aspects (1, the most important, and 2, the next in that order). These 10 aspects are: holidays, salary, interest in work, peer relationships, relationships with superiors, schedules/shifts, personal autonomy, social importance, and prestige of the profession, other (which should be specified) and, finally, do not know/no answer. • Level of satisfaction/dissatisfaction with various aspects related to the job measured on a 5-point Likert scale (from 1 = very dissatisfied to 5 = very satisfied). The reliability of the scale is adequate (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.892).


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• Degree of overall satisfaction considering all aspects jointly on a 5-point Likert scale. PART 4, SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC DATA


In this section of the questionnaire, the respondents were asked to provide personal, sociodemographic, and job-related data to examine the influence of these variables on job satisfaction. The items included in this section were: • • • • • • • • • • •

Sex Marital status Age Number of children Nationality Level of training Membership in trade unions Dependence on wages earned in hotel Sick leaves and number of days taken Ability to change jobs Previous employment in the sector and location

The data were processed using the SPSS (Version 15.0) program for Windows and two groups of statistical techniques. To obtain the basic data for the study, a descriptive statistical analysis was performed. To test the hypotheses on the influence of the study variables on job satisfaction, contingency tables and the chi-square test were used. In addition, the analysis of variance (ANOVA) test for equality of means was used for the initial analysis of the relationships between the variables, and logistic regression was used to determine the relationship between these variables and job satisfaction.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Seventy-three hotels of different categories were surveyed, accounting for 84% of the total number of hotels in the province. A total of 585 valid questionnaires were collected (response rate 54%). The main aggregate quantitative results by hotel category obtained from the fieldwork are shown in Table 1. As regards the main reason for working in the hotel industry (Table 2), the majority of respondents (62.4%) stated that they like the work, while only 16.6% of the respondents said that they could not find a better job. The results of the survey reveal an important vocational component (as

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TABLE 1 Main Quantitative Results Number of Total Number Number of Response Number of Employees Response Category of Hotels Hotels Surveyed Rate Employees Surveyed Rate 5-star 4-star 3-star 2-star 1-star TOTAL

3 17 23 27 17 87

3 16 20 22 12 73

100% 94% 87% 81% 71% 84%

65 506 283 135 85 1,074

53 211 167 93 61 585

82% 42% 59% 69% 72% 54%


Note. Based on National Statistics Institute [NSI] data (2012).

the majority said they enjoyed the work); data which could potentially be used by organizations to increase the organizational commitment of their employees. This vocational component suggests that management strategies should be targeted at developing employees’ skills in the medium and long term with a view to achieving the desired organizational objectives and increasing profits. Indeed, in enhancing their human capital, companies can improve the quality of the service they offer and gain a competitive advantage in the long term. The overall job satisfaction level of employees in the hotel industry is shown in Table 3. As can be seen, more than half of the respondents (58.4%) stated that they were satisfied or very satisfied with their work overall, while 8.4% said they were dissatisfied or very dissatisfied. Moreover, one in three respondents stated that they were neither satisfied nor dissatisfied. In line with the work of authors such as Spinelli and Canavos (2000) on the relationship between employee satisfaction and guest satisfaction, these data suggest that the satisfaction of hotel employees in the province of Cordoba could contribute to building hotel customer loyalty. The results of the bivariate analysis to determine the influence of specific job characteristics on job satisfaction are shown in Table 4. The data were TABLE 2 Reasons for Working in the Hotel Industry Main Reason for Working in the Hotel Industry I like the work I couldn’t find a better job Don’t know/Don’t answer Others Autonomy Job security Vacation time TOTAL

% 62.4% 16.6% 6.0% 3.4% 2.3% 7.5% 0.3% 100%

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A Study of Hotels in Spain TABLE 3 Overall Job Satisfaction Level Satisfaction level


Very satisfied Satisfied Neither satisfied or dissatisfied Dissatisfied Very dissatisfied TOTAL

% 18.20% 40.20% 33.20% 6.50% 1.90% 100%

used to test whether the above hypotheses are true or not. The results of the ANOVA test (Table 5) and the binary logistic regression model (Table 6) used to test the hypotheses are also shown below. Table 4 shows employee job satisfaction levels in percentage terms for each of the variables studied, the chi-square statistic (χ 2), and its p-value. The probability distribution of all the variables is shown to the right of the responses by employees who stated that they were very satisfied with their jobs (administration, housekeeping, reception desk/concierge, management departments, etc.). This confirms that, on average, hotel industry employees in Cordoba are reasonably satisfied with their jobs. The ANOVA test (Table 5) shows that the relationship between job satisfaction and family dependence on employee wages is increasing, and reaches its peak when the family depends on more than 75% (3.72 points) of the total wages earned by the hotel employee. This result can determine greater employee involvement, given the importance of the job to the family’s economic stability. As regards type of employment, the ANOVA test shows that part-time employees are more satisfied (0.30 points higher than those who work full time). This result is not surprising, considering the long hours and shifts so characteristic of this sector, which make it difficult to achieve a work life balance. A part-time position, on the other hand, permits workers to reconcile these two facets of their lives; particularly women, who account for a large portion of the hotel industry labor force. Finally, the results of the binary logistic regression model for the independent variables are shown in Table 6. Each of the variables is described and assigned a code as follows: • Dependence on wages: level of dependence (in percentages) of total family income on hotel employee wages • Type of contract (contract): 1-permanent contract • Type of employment (employment): 1-full time • Length of service: number of years worked Based on the analysis of the results, in what follows, each of the hypotheses stated in the literature review is accepted or rejected.

74 75% Permanent Temporary Full time Part time 30

Family dependence on salary

Note. ∗ Significant at 5%.

∗∗

Significant at 10%.

Length of service (in years)

Type of employment

Type of contract

Category

Variable

8.3%

2.1%

2.8% 1.4% 1.8% 1.1% 3.1% 2.6%

Very Dissatisfied (%)

TABLE 4 Job Satisfaction Levels by Variables and Categories

11.0% 4.2% 6.7% 5.0% 9.4% 8.1% 2.8% 7.4% 3.5% 6.3% 4.2%

Somewhat Dissatisfied (%) 33.9% 34.7% 32.0% 34.3% 30.7% 32.9% 34.3% 33.6% 43.9% 37.5% 16.7%

Not Satisfied or Dissatisfied (%) 42.2% 42.7% 36.4% 44.3% 33.3% 41.9% 35.2% 39.8% 38.6% 43.8% 45.8%

Somewhat Satisfied (%)


10.1% 16.9% 23.1% 15.2% 23.4% 14.5% 27.8% 17.1% 14.0% 12.5% 25.0%

Very Satisfied (%)

12.783 (0.385)

14.409 (0.072)∗∗ 15.423 (0.004)∗ 16.151 (0.003)∗

X 2 (p-value)

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A Study of Hotels in Spain TABLE 5 ANOVA Test Variable Family dependence on wages Type of contract Type of employment Length of service (in years)

Category

Mean Satisfaction

F (p-value)

75% Permanent Temporary Full time Part time 30

3.46 3.69 3.72 3.68 3.65 3.58 3.88 3.62 3.63 3.63 3.75

3.412 (0.034)∗ 0.137 (0.711) 9.600 (0.002)∗ 0.134 (0.934)

∗


Note. Significant at 5%.

Hypothesis 1: Greater family dependence on wages is related to higher job satisfaction levels.

Summarizing the results, the chi-square test supports the relationship between degree of family dependence on wages and job satisfaction, with a significance level of 10%. The analysis of variance also showed significant differences in mean satisfaction in relation to dependence on wages. This can be observed in the mean satisfaction levels, which increase as family dependence on wages increases, and reach a peak when the family depends on more than 75% (3.72 points) of the wages earned by the hotel employee. This result suggests that family dependence on employee wages could be a determinant in employee involvement given the importance of the job to the family’s economic stability. In contrast, the logit model shows a negative coefficient, which could suggest an inverse relationship. Given that the coefficient is not significant, however, the hypothesis that greater family dependence on wages is related to higher satisfaction levels is accepted, thus confirming the findings of Grund and Slivka (2001). TABLE 6 Logit Model for Total Sample Variable Family dependence on wages Type of contract Permanent Temporary Type of employment Full time Part time Length of service (in years) Constant

B coefficient

p-value

Odds Ratio

−0.055

0.708

0.946

0.361 reference

0.126 reference

0.697 reference

−0.678 reference −0.014 20.903

0.030 reference 0.931 1.000

1.969 reference 0.986 1E+009

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Hypothesis 2: Employees with permanent contracts are more satisfied.


Although the chi-square test rejects independence between the two variables, the results of the test for equal means and the logit model are not statistically significant. It is surprising to note that both types of contracts (permanent and temporary) show similar mean levels of satisfaction (0.03 points higher for permanent contracts). As stated above, this may due to the greater enthusiasm of employees for whom this may be their first contact with the world of work. Hence, the hypothesis is rejected, and the findings of Clark (1996), Allen and Van der Velden (2001), and Benfield and Harris (2002) are confirmed.

Hypothesis 3: Job satisfaction is higher among part-time employees.

The result of the chi-square test rejects independence between type of employment and job satisfaction. The ANOVA test is also statistically significant for the difference of means between full-time and part-time workers. This result is logical, given the long hours and changing shifts characteristic of the hotel industry, which make it difficult to reconcile work and family life, something which is easier for part-time workers to achieve (particularly women, who make up a significant share of the hotel industry labor force). Finally, the logit model shows a negative and statistically significant coefficient (the variable was coded 1 = full-time employment and 0 = parttime employment), indicating that full-time employees are less likely to be satisfied with their jobs. Hence, the hypothesis is accepted and confirms the results of Eberhardt and Shani (1984) and Edwards and Robinson (2001), who found a positive relationship between job satisfaction and part-time employment.

Hypothesis 4: Job satisfaction decreases with length of service.

The chi-square test supports the independence of the variable length of service in relation to job satisfaction. The means do not show a clear pattern for this relationship, with job satisfaction levels remaining virtually unchanged from the moment the employee begins to work until the age of 30, when satisfaction reaches a peak. The logit model does not show a significant coefficient for this variable, either. Hence, the hypothesis that there exists an inverse relationship between job satisfaction and length of service is rejected, and no dependence between these variables is found.


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CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS Due to the importance of human capital in the success of organizations, it is essential to optimize human resource management. Following in this line, this analysis focuses on the close relationship between job satisfaction, quality of service, and customer satisfaction. A hotel whose employees are dissatisfied will be unable to offer a competitive and quality service, as job satisfaction is an important factor in the success of businesses. The results of the research show that motivation to work in the hotel industry is an important factor in job satisfaction. When hotel employees were asked about their main reason for choosing to work in the hotel industry, the majority of respondents (62.4%) stated that it was because they liked the work, while only 16.6% said it was because they had been unable to find a better job. As regards overall job satisfaction, more than half of those surveyed (58.4%) stated they were satisfied or very satisfied with their job. In contrast, only 8.4% stated that they were dissatisfied or very dissatisfied with their job. Satisfaction is therefore a means to increase employee commitment, and in turn, customer loyalty. To do so, hotel managers must promote job satisfaction among their “internal customers,” that is, their employees. As regards the hypotheses tests, it is interesting to note that, firstly, family dependence on hotel employee wages bears a direct and increasing relationship to employee job satisfaction. This result is logical, given that greater dependence implies a higher commitment to the organization and a greater sense of belonging. Secondly, employees with permanent contracts do not show higher satisfaction levels. Although this finding is quite surprising, it may be due to the fact that temporary workers are anxious to please their employers or have voluntarily chosen to work part time. Thirdly, part-time employment is related to higher job satisfaction levels. A possible explanation for this could be the large presence of females in the hotel industry and the fact that part-time contracts permit workers to better balance family and work life. The overall aim of this article was to provide insight that could serve to inform hotel managers about job satisfaction and understand how specific job characteristics (i.e., dependence on wages, type of contract, type of employment, and length of service) may influence satisfaction. Using this knowledge, hotel managers of the province of Cordoba (and, in general, any other hotel business), should implement policies to improve the motivational potential of jobs and ensure that they suit the characteristics of the employees in these positions. This can be achieved by matching employees with the right job, comparing the different factors and components of job satisfaction, and identifying the strengths and weaknesses of their employees with a view to providing the training and developing the skills needed to do the job well. Moreover, a better understanding of the impact of these variables on employee job satisfaction would permit hotel managers to recruit and select

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the appropriate staff by establishing the psychological and professional requirements of individuals with the highest job satisfaction potential, and in turn, improve the organizations’ results. These objectives could also be achieved by determining the actual training needs of employees and incorporating the job-related variables studied in this research that promote job satisfaction in training schemes. Furthermore, if training is targeted at more satisfied employees, organizations can better match their training objectives to those of their employees.


LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY AND FUTURE RESEARCH One of the main limitations of the study is the lack of official statistical data. More data are needed to perform further research and studies on the job satisfaction construct that can aid in designing labor policies to improve the well-being of workers. Moreover, many of the self-administered questionnaires used to measure both job satisfaction and employee well-being have been designed taking into account current circumstances. A study spanning a larger time period and/or geographical area could yield different results and conclusions. Future lines of research could be directed at exploring employees’ evaluations of job stability, given that type of contract as an indicator of job satisfaction could lead to significant biases in terms of employees’ subjective perception of job satisfaction. Finally, with a view to enhancing job performance, it would be interesting to study how certain organizational practices can promote teamwork and instill in employees a sense of autonomy and control over their work.

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