Impact of Covid-19 on Workplace Conditions in Hospitality Industry: A Study on Marriott Hotel

This study examines the impact of Covid-19 on workplace conditions in the hospitality industry, specifically at Marriott Hotel. The study aims to identify the challenges faced by the hotel and strategies that can be implemented to improve workplace performance. The study uses a deductive research approach and quantitative data collection and analysis methods. The research will be conducted using a survey strategy, with a sample size of 30 respondents who are employees of Marriott Hotel. The study will also include a literature review and data analysis using frequency tables and pie charts.

Research Plan
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Research Title: Impact of Covid-19 on workplace conditions in the hospitality industry. A study
on Marriott Hotel.............................................................................................................................3
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
Aim and Objectives................................................................................................................3
The rationale for selection of topic.........................................................................................4
Literature Review.............................................................................................................................4
Research Methodology....................................................................................................................6
References........................................................................................................................................8
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Research Title: Impact of Covid-19 on workplace conditions in the hospitality
industry. A study on Marriott Hotel
Introduction
The outbreak of Covid- 19 was sudden which affected nearly all industries around the globe.
The sudden outbreak of this pandemic make lead organization unprepared which affected their
overall business in a negative way. Present research include discussion on the impact of Covid-
19 on working condition in hospitality industry. For this Marriott Hotel is being selected which is
one of the leading organization. In this research with the help of literature review and data
methods researcher execute research in appropriate manner.
Aim and Objectives
Aim
To identify the impact of Covid-19 on workplace conditions in the hospitality industry. A
study on Marriott hotel.
Research Objectives
 To identify the impact of Covid-19 on workplace conditions in the hospitality industry.
 To evaluate the challenges faced by the Marriott Hotel workplace due to Covid-19.
 To determine strategies Marriott Hotel can implement to improve workplace performance
that has been affected due to Covid-19.
Research Questions
 What is the impact of Covid-19 on workplace conditions in the hospitality industry?
 What are the challenges faced by the Marriott Hotel workplace due to Covid-19?
 What are the strategies Marriott Hotel can implement to improve workplace performance
that has been affected due to Covid-19?
The rationale for selection of topic
Present research topic is rational as it is conducted on the adverse impact of COVID-19 on the
workplace condition in the hospitality industry (Al-Mansour and Al-Ajmi, 2020). With the help
of this research organization operating in this sector can identify the potential strategies and can
overcome the negative impact of COVID-19 that has disrupted business organization adverse
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way. Furthermore with the help of this research investigator and associated reader can enhance
their overall skill and knowledge associated to the strategies through which companies can deal
with Covid-19 crisis. The research develop current level of knowledge and understanding of
investigator and develop research conducting scale that can be utilised in future.
Literature Review
Impact of Covid-19 on workplace conditions in the hospitality industry
According to the viewpoint of Filimonau, 2021it has been evaluated that Covid- 19 pandemic
disrupted each and every business sector around the globe which make them to face number of
operational as well as financial losses. Furthermore it has been stated that hospitality industry is
among the hardest head industries in which due to government restrictions travel band
guidelines, lockdown, health and safety practices which was essential to mandate created
numerous challenge in front of this organization which affected their overall business. Many
medium, large scale organization in hospitality industry were forced to permanently or
temporarily shutdown their business. Furthermore, it has been evaluated that this industry also
get affected in terms of managing employees from remote areas in which due to many challenges
like lack of technology, lack of resources lack of understanding and inability to create
collaboration affected their overall operations adversely. Furthermore, it has been underlined that
they spend make also created challenges in front of organization to manage workplace efficiency
effectively. All these challenges affected this industry employees another associated individuals
adverse way and created de-motivation and stress.
Challenges faced by the Marriott Hotel workplace due to Covid-19
As per the above viewpoint Ntounis, Steadman and Warnaby, 2022 due to the outbreak of
Covid- 19 various challenges has been faced by organization in hospitality sector. This not only
affected their way of working but also created long term impact on their growth as well as
sustainability. It has been underlined that the outbreak of this pandemic created challenges in
front of Marriott Hotel which is among the leading organization challenges like strict
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government guidelines, mandatory health and safety practices travel ban, the organization faced
inability to serve consumers. Covid-19 was sudden which make this organization to remain
unprepared to overcome the challenges they spend to make also created the major challenge in
front of this organization to provide employment to all the peoples due to remote working, as
they were unable to work from office all these challenges affected Marriott Hotel in financial and
operational way which created disruption in front of them to conduct their operations.
Furthermore, it has been underline daddy spend make also affected this industry in adverse ways
such as managing business operations to serve consumers which affected their growth and
competitive edge in the industry.
Strategies Marriott Hotel can implement to improve workplace performance that has been
affected due to Covid-19
According to the viewpoint of Jones and Comfort, 2020 the outbreak of COVID-19 was sudden
which left organization to be un prepared that overall affected their growth and profitability.
Furthermore it has been underlined that due to the sudden outbreak of Covid- 19 Marriott Hotel
faced challenges to manage employees, provide services to consumers and conduct their
operations. Nowadays, hotels must take steps to boost their OTA rankings. Hotel's good OTA
ranking will encourage guests to choose it over others. Naturally, the more bookings a hotel
receives, the higher its ranking on OTAs. After COVID19, online ratings and reviews would be
more prominent than ever. Are hotel facilities clean and safe? The guests would be interested in
learning more. Therefore, ensure that the hotel keeps a close eye on how the brand is perceived
by both current and potential guests. Investing in one's reputation is unquestionably beneficial in
the long run. Therefore, even though the hotel has not yet begun, it is not too late to do so.
Travelers can use meta search engines to compare hotel room rates across various OTAs and
make a purchasing decision. This will not alter after COVID-19. Getting enrolled in metasearch
engines will help increase revenue, extend the hotel's reach, and encourage more direct bookings.
However in order to overcome the negative impact of COVID-19 hotel needs to undertake use of
digital technology in which taking advantage of project management tool, cloud computing,
communication tool, artificial intelligence, virtual augmented reality, smart computing and other
technologies company can not only conduct cost effective operations but can also conduct their
business without physical labour during these crisis time. This will also help organization to
provide maximum satisfaction to consumers and can assure long term growth and profitability.
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Start acquiring guests at a lower price than what hotel used to offer previously. Make sure attract
more guests by giving out better deals than what hotel competitors offer. This will also help
organization to increase its competitive edge in the industry.
Research Methodology
This sections forms a vital part of every research work which provide vital information
about the selection and choice of research method from a set of various approaches and method
of research to conduct an investigation and research work in a more viable and effective manner.
With respect to current investigation, research onion model has been used to ensure proper
selection of and choice of a research method along with proper justification for there use.
Figure 1: Research Onion, 2020.
Source: https://15writers.com/research-onion/
Research Philosophy-
Research philosophy is defined as a way in which data about the phenomenon is required
to be collected evaluated analysed. Positivism, interpretivism, pragmatism and realism are
different type of research which helps in completing research objectives. Out of these methods
investigator is taking advantage of positivism research philosophy in order to identify the impact
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of Covid- 19 on Marriott Hotel as it seems to be suitable and help in conducting research in more
practical and scientific way.
Research approach-
This is a strategy which helps in conducting research in a systematic manner and provide
guidance to investigator to execute research properly. Inductive and deductive are some certain
forms of examples of research approach out of which for this present investigation researchers
taking advantage of deductive research approach (Hao, Xiao and Chon, 2020). The primary
reason beyond taking advantage of this method is started coordinate with the positivisim results
philosophy. With the help of this method investigator is taking benefit to conduct better testing
and canning of numeric facts and figures.
Research strategy-
This is basically a designing framework of overall investigation which is mainly based on
selection of research strategy. There are different types of research strategy such as action
research, experiment, observation, survey etc. out of which to execute the present research on the
topic of impact of Covid-19 on organisations in hospitality sector. Investigator is taking
advantage of survey research strategy. The main benefit of this strategy is that it will help in
collecting sufficient sample size respondents out of the whole population which helps in drawing
valid conclusion.
Choices of method-
Data collection of data plays an essential role. Quantitative and qualitative are some
certain methods of data collection sources that helps investigator to acquire data from
appropriate sources. In context with present research investigator is taking advantage of
quantitative research method which is more reliable in terms of time saving as well as cost
saving on the same hand. Furthermore, with this this method will benefit researcher to conduct
research by taking use of numerical and statistical way of data analysis and will further benefit in
presenting them in a systematic and attractive way with the help of charts and tables.
Data collection and analysis-
To conduct research investigator need to emphasise on sources from where data can be collected
to conduct research. Primary secondary or some certain form of examples of data collection
method out of these methods investigator is taking advantage of both of these methods in order
to conduct research with the help of wider base of sources. In context with primary method
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investigator is taking advantage of questionnaire in which first hand inauthentic set of data will
be collected directly from the respondents (Filimonau, Derqui and Matute, 2020). These data will
be further analysed with the help of frequency table and pie chart. On the other hand in context
with secondary sources investigator is taking advantage of books, articles, websites in order to
enhance efficiency and authenticity of the collected fact and figures. Furthermore these data will
be presented with the help of literature review.
Sampling-
This is strategic process which helps in collecting data with a viable sample size method in
contact with present research with the help of random sample method investigator is taking
advantage of a way to execute research free from any biasness. In context with the research
investigator we will select sample size of 30 respondents those who are employees of Marriott
Hotel. All the respondents will be collected with the help of the random sampling method and
will be provided equal chances of participation.
Ethics:
Ethics plays important role for any research which helps in enhancing authenticity and
effectiveness of the collected facts and figures. However in order to conduct the research there
are certain issues that can be encountered that can affect the overall research, in order to
overcome this investigator is taking advantage of BERA code of ethics along with the provision
of Data Protection Act. This will help in conducting research by taking consideration of data
privacy act. Along with this approval in concern from all the participants will be undertaken in
order to conduct research in appropriate way.
Timeline:
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References
Al-Mansour, J.F. and Al-Ajmi, S.A., 2020. Coronavirus' COVID-19'-supply chain disruption and
implications for strategy, economy, and management. The Journal of Asian Finance,
Economics, and Business, 7(9), pp.659-672.
Filimonau, V., 2021. The prospects of waste management in the hospitality sector post COVID-
19. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 168, p.105272.
Ntounis, N., Parker, C., Skinner, H., Steadman, C. and Warnaby, G., 2022. Tourism and
Hospitality industry resilience during the Covid-19 pandemic: Evidence from
England. Current Issues in Tourism, 25(1), pp.46-59.
Jones, P. and Comfort, D., 2020. The COVID-19 crisis and sustainability in the hospitality
industry. International journal of contemporary hospitality management.
Hao, F., Xiao, Q. and Chon, K., 2020. COVID-19 and China’s hotel industry: Impacts, a disaster
management framework, and post-pandemic agenda. International journal of
hospitality management, 90, p.102636.
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Filimonau, V., Derqui, B. and Matute, J., 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic and organisational
commitment of senior hotel managers. International Journal of Hospitality
Management, 91, p.102659.
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