To Investigate the Impact of Covid-19 on Employee Jobs: UK Hospitality

This research proposal investigates the impact of Covid-19 on employee jobs within the UK hospitality sector, with a specific focus on the case of Hilton. The study aims to examine recent labor trends, assess the effects of the pandemic on labor relations, analyze the challenges faced by Hilton, and recommend effective workforce management strategies. The research employs a qualitative methodology, utilizing an inductive approach and interpretivism philosophy. Data collection will involve surveys with Hilton managers and secondary research of published literature. The proposal outlines the research questions, objectives, rationale, methodology, ethical considerations, and a Gantt chart for project management. The study seeks to contribute to a deeper understanding of the pandemic's impact on the hospitality workforce and inform strategies for mitigating its adverse effects.

Research Proposal

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Background.............................................................................................................................1
Rationale.................................................................................................................................2
Research methodology...........................................................................................................2
Gantt chart..............................................................................................................................3
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................5

Title: To investigate the impact of Covid-19 on employee’s job in the context of UK hospitality
sector: A study on Hilton
Background
In the current times, Covid-19 affected the entire business operations adversely. Due to
this, business activities and performance of hospitality sector is affected the most. UK
hospitality industry is marked as third biggest employer which provides range of employment
opportunities (Brown. and Cowling 2021). However, pandemic created direct impact upon the
job of employees which includes salary cut down, reverse impact on talent pool and majority of
employees become jobless. For the current proposal Hilton has been selected which provide
luxurious and high quality accommodation services to their customers. In this, proposal will
shed light on the effect that pandemic having on employee’s job level within hospitality
industry. Further, it also highlights the research tool and technique that can be used by
researcher to analyse issue effectively.
According to the views of Jung, Jung and Yoon (2021), the labour trend of UK hospitality
sector is fluctuating after pandemic. The hospitality industry contributes majorly in relation to
providing employment opportunities. Nevertheless, after pandemic it is the only sector where
most of the employees become jobless. Aguiar-Quintana and et.al., (2021) also identified in their
study that there is negative impact upon those individuals who have a lowest income. Therefore,
it is examined that there is such a rapid fall in employment where around 7.6 million jobs are at
risk in terms of reduction in salaries, temporary furloughs etc (Khan and et.al., 2021).
Chen and Eyoun (2021) presented their views that the effect of pandemic upon
hospitality sector is negative because of travel restriction most of the employees do not come to
their respective workplaces and then companies fire their employees. On the others side, Yu,
Park and Hyun (2021) also argued that due to sudden loss of jobs, existing employees gets
demotivated that also affect performance. Further, it shows that there is an adverse impact upon
the employee’s job and this also affect their behaviour as well. Apart from this, 1.25 billion
workers are employed within hospitality sector but with low paid and low skilled jobs which is
considered as a sudden loss of income (Covid-19 causes devastating losses in working hours and
employment, 2021).
Yue and Cowling (2021) explained in their study that most of the hospitality companies
deduct employee’s salary and increase working hours after pandemic, along with frequent job
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cut. This reflect that there is a heavy loss of most of employee’s job and many of them work in
an informal sector that is creates reversing impact upon talent pool.
Research gap: There is not much study conducted within hospitality sectorand that is why,
through this research scholar provide impact of Covid-19 upon the employee’s job.
Aim: To study the impact of Covid-19 on employee’s job within Hilton”
Objectives:
 To examine recent labor trends within UK hospitality sector.
 To ascertain the effect of COVID-19 on hospitality sector with regards to labor relations.
 To critically analyze the challenges faced by Hilton during Covid-19 on employee’s job
in the context of Hilton.
 To recommend strategies to Hilton in relation to managing workforce effectually.
Research questions:
 What is the recent labor trends existing within UK hospitality sector?
 What are the effect of COVID-19 on hospitality sector with regards to labor relations?
 What is the effect of Covid-19 on employee’s job in the context of Hilton?
Rationale
The rationale for doing this research is to examine how Covid-19 affected the employee’s
job within Hilton. This in turn considered as a research issue because majority of the employee
lose their jobs, whereas some of them gets demotivated. So, it is recognized as an issue now
because the overall trend of UK hospitality labour trends affected adversely which in turn
increase unemployment as well (Khan and et.al., 2021). Thus, through thematic perception test
technique, research could also shed a light on the level to which pandemic affects employee’s
job within hospitality sector.
Research methodology
Research type: Type of a research are distinguished in two forms i.e. qualitative and
quantitative (Snyder, 2019). For analysing the impact of pandemic on employee’s job qualitative
research type will be chosen. Moreover, the aspects regarding to Covid-19 and employee’s job
are theoretical which cannot be addressed through numerical terms
Research Approach: To examine impact of Covid-19 upon employee’s job of Hilton
inductive research approach will be used. Through this, scholar would become able to address
and analyse qualitative issue effectually and identify the pattern of observation.
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Research Philosophy: Mainly, there are mainly two types of philosophy that can be used
such as interpretivism and positivism. In the context of present study, interpretivism philosophy
will be adopted in order to evaluate qualitative data pertaining to employee’s jobs during Covid-
19.
Data collection: To address defined objectives, information will be collected from both
methods i.e. primary and secondary (Mohajan, 2018). For primary research, survey will be
conducted on 20 managers of Hilton through questionnaire. Whereas, published articles, books
pertaining to impact of Covid-19 on employee’s job will be assessed under secondary research.
Sampling: In the present study, scholar has to select sample in order to get valid
outcomes. Thus, by referring purposive sampling techniques, 20 Managers of Hilton will be
chosen.
Data analysis: To analyse the responses of selected participants, scholar will employ
thematic data analysis. In this, investigator drawn different graphs, tables and themes in order to
present the findings in presentable manner.
Ethical consideration: To conduct study effectively, it is necessary to comply with all the
ethical principles. Along with this, consent forms will be sent to respondents in order to take
their approval prior to study (Ngozwana, 2018). Further, reference list will be attached at the end
of report in order to ensure that work is not copied.
Reliability and validity: To ensure validity aspects, research papers will be considered that
published after 2018. Along with this, all the selected articles will be related to chosen topic that
shows research is valid. Furthermore, copyright protected sources will be used that reflects
reliability of a study.
Research limitation: In the present study, time and money are considered as a limitation.
It is so because of limited time frame scholar do not used quantitative tool. Therefore, to avoid
such limitation, thematic analysis will be performed that provide valid outcomes as well.
Gantt chart
S.no Task Name Duration Start Finish Predecessors
1 Selection of topic 2 days Thu 2/18/21 Fri 2/19/21
2 Developing Aim and
objectives 2 days Mon 2/22/21 Tue 2/23/21 1
3 Reviewing the various 4 days Wed 2/24/21 Mon 3/1/21 1,2
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literature
4 Identifying different
methods of research 3 days Tue 3/2/21 Thu 3/4/21 2,3
5 Submitting the proposal 1 day Fri 3/5/21 Fri 3/5/21 4
6 Waiting for feedback 5 days Mon 3/8/21 Fri 3/12/21 5
7 Modifying and
submission 2 days Mon 3/15/21 Tue 3/16/21 6
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Aguiar-Quintana, T. and et.al., 2021. Do job insecurity, anxiety and depression caused by the
COVID-19 pandemic influence hotel employees’ self-rated task performance? The
moderating role of employee resilience. International Journal of Hospitality
Management. 94. p.102868.
Brown, R.C. and Cowling, M., 2021. The geographical impact of the Covid-19 crisis for pre-
cautionary savings, firm survival and jobs: evidence from the UK’s 100 largest towns
and cities. International Small Business Journal.
Chen, H. and Eyoun, K., 2021. Do mindfulness and perceived organizational support work? Fear
of COVID-19 on restaurant frontline employees’ job insecurity and emotional
exhaustion. International Journal of Hospitality Management. 94. p.102850.
Jung, H. S., Jung, Y. S. and Yoon, H. H., 2021. COVID-19: The effects of job insecurity on the
job engagement and turnover intent of deluxe hotel employees and the moderating role
of generational characteristics. International Journal of Hospitality Management. 92.
p.102703.
Khan, K. I. and et.al., 2021. The Effect of COVID-19 on the Hospitality Industry: The
Implication for Open Innovation. Journal of Open Innovation: Technology, Market, and
Complexity. 7(1). p.30.
Mohajan, H. K., 2018. Qualitative research methodology in social sciences and related
subjects. Journal of Economic Development, Environment and People. 7(1). pp.23-48.
Ngozwana, N., 2018. Ethical Dilemmas in Qualitative Research Methodology: Researcher's
Reflections. International Journal of Educational Methodology. 4(1). pp.19-28.
Snyder, H., 2019. Literature review as a research methodology: An overview and
guidelines. Journal of Business Research. 104. pp.333-339.
Yu, J., Park, J. and Hyun, S. S., 2021. Impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on employees’ work
stress, well-being, mental health, organizational citizenship behavior, and employee-
customer identification. Journal of Hospitality Marketing & Management. pp.1-20.
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Yue, W. and Cowling, M., 2021. The Covid-19 lockdown in the United Kingdom and subjective
well-being: Have the self-employed suffered more due to hours and income
reductions?. International Small Business Journal. p.0266242620986763.
Online
Covid-19 causes devastating losses in working hours and employment. 2021. [Online].
Available through:
<https://www.ilo.org/global/about-the-ilo/newsroom/news/WCMS_740893/lang--en/
index.htm >.
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