Research Methodology Report: Employee Turnover in Hospitality Sector

This report presents a literature review on employee turnover, focusing on the hospitality sector, specifically referencing Crowne Plaza Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, UAE. It explores the concept of employee turnover, its negative impacts, and various factors contributing to it, such as low pay, unrealistic expectations, lack of recognition, and job dissatisfaction. The report also examines Maslow's hierarchy of needs as a relevant theory for understanding employee motivation and retention. It then discusses methods for reducing employee turnover, including competitive pay, recognition, and career advancement opportunities. The research highlights the importance of identifying the root causes of turnover to develop effective strategies for improving employee retention and organizational success. The report concludes by emphasizing the need for Crowne Plaza to address turnover issues to maintain a competitive edge and ensure customer satisfaction.

Running head: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research Methodology
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Table of Contents
Assessment Component 1: Literature Evidence Review.................................................................3
1. Introduction..................................................................................................................................3
1.1 The domain............................................................................................................................3
1.2 The rationale for the chosen topic.........................................................................................3
1.3 The main sources used in brief..............................................................................................4
2. The main body.............................................................................................................................4
2.1 Concept of employee turnover...............................................................................................4
2.2 Factors affecting employee turnover.....................................................................................4
2.2.1 Paying less than industry standards................................................................................5
2.2.2 Unfeasible expectations..................................................................................................5
2.2.3 Lack of recognition and growth opportunities................................................................6
2.2.4 Lack of job satisfaction...................................................................................................6
2.3 Theory of employee turnover................................................................................................7
2.3.1 Maslow’s hierarchy of needs..........................................................................................7
2.4 Methods of reducing employee turnover...............................................................................7
3. Conclusion...................................................................................................................................8
4. References..................................................................................................................................10
5. Bibliography..............................................................................................................................12

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6. Appendices................................................................................................................................13
Appendix 1.................................................................................................................................13
Appendix 2.................................................................................................................................14

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Assessment Component 1: Literature Evidence Review
1. Introduction
1.1 The domain
Employee turnover has been one of most widely studied topics among the researchers in
the past. From the past researches, it can be known that employee turnover is said to be the gap
created when an existing employees leaves and the business organization needs to find a new one
for filling the gap created. Employee turnover have severe negative impacts on the business
organizations such as loss of talented and experienced employees, decreased productivity, low
self-esteem and confidence and additional financial burden. Financial burden is imposed on the
business organizations because they have to find the right individual for filling the gap and
preparing the candidate accordingly (Refer to Appendix 2).
1.2 The rationale for the chosen topic
The topic “reducing employee turnover in “Crowne Plaza Yas Island in Abu Dhabi,
UAE” is rationalized because undertaking the research will provide an opportunity to identify the
principle cause of staff turnover in Crowne Plaza chain of hotels in Yas Island in Abu Dhabi,
UAE. Identifying the main cause of employee turnover will enable to develop necessary
strategies for overcoming the issue and reduce the rate of employee turnover. Therefore,
reducing the rate of employee turnover for Crowne Plaza Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, UAE will
help the company ensure customer satisfaction, provide superior quality service and ensuring
high service thereby, gaining competitive advantage and surviving the competitive hotel sector
successfully.

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1.3 The main sources used in brief
Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research, International Journal of Hospitality
Management, Journal of Applied Psychology, Problems and Perspectives in Management,
Journal of Human Resources in Hospitality & Tourism, Human relations. The aforementioned
journals have been used while conducting and developing the literature review that helped in
understanding the main employee turnover issues in hospitality sector and the potential methods
those can be used for mitigating them.
2. The main body
2.1 Concept of employee turnover
Employee turnover is one of the biggest concerns for the business organizations because
this incurs hefty financial loss for them as well as loss of talent and expertise. According to
Shuck et al. (2014), employee turnover is defined as the percentage of staffs those lave an
organizations over a particular period that is replaced by new staffs. However, as argued by Hom
et al. (2017), employee turnover can also be defined as the rate by which an employer gains and
losses employees thereby, indicating the movement of members or labors across the boundary of
the business organizations. It is necessary for the business organizations to reduce employee
turnover and Crowne Plaza Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, UAE is no different if the severe
consequences of the phenomenon is to be considered.
2.2 Factors affecting employee turnover
The staffs or the employee can leave the present organization and look for alternatives
due to varied reasons. The rate of employee turnover can be individual specific or organization

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specific. The different factors include less salary compared to industry standards, unfeasible
expectations, inadequate recognition and growth opportunities and lack of satisfaction at job.
2.2.1 Paying less than industry standards
Being financially stable and leading a standard life is one of primary reasons individuals
look for suitable jobs. Individuals become aware of the salary standard of their designation from
websites like Glassdoor and Payscale. Therefore, evaluating individuals according to the
standards is not difficult for them. According to Pohler and Schmidt (2016), the rate of employee
turnover increases, if the current organization does not pay according to industry standards. This
is because the employee feel cheated and undervalued that enforces them to leave the current
organization thereby, resulting in staff turnover. However, as argued by Panaccio, Vandenberghe
and Ben Ayed (2014), being paid less affects the living standard of the employees also results in
increased rate of employee turnover. Similar is the case of Crowne Plaza Yas Island in Abu
Dhabi, UAE, inadequate payment to the employees have resulted in
2.2.2 Unfeasible expectations
Expecting the staffs to be productive is justified and the managers have the authority to
push the employees to bring the best out of them. However, pushing the employees beyond their
limit is impractical and facilitates the development of negative decision among the employees.
As mentioned by Zwane, Du Plessis and Slabbert (2014), the employees tend to leave the
organization when they feel that the management is having unrealistic expectations from them.
When the employees are pushed too far by the business organizations, they feel over exhausted
and pressurized that drives the decision of leaving and looking for alternative organization.
However, as argued by Lu and Gursoy (2016), deriving the best out of the employees is different
from setting unfeasible expectations that end in disappointments for each individual involved.

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Such disappointments contribute in a poor employee turnover ratio that has been encountered in
Crowne Plaza Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, UAE.
2.2.3 Lack of recognition and growth opportunities
Financial stability is not the only thing that forces the employees to be associated with a
specific company or organization and ensures job satisfaction. Apart from money, employees
also need appreciation, acknowledgment and career growth during their employment duration.
As mentioned by Al Mamun and Hasan (2017), if the employees are not recognized for the effort
and hard work they put in for their job roles and responsibilities, they feel undervalued and
insignificant. With time, the employees develop the feeling that they does not matter for the
company. This triggers the decision of leaving the current organization and look for companies
that appreciates and acknowledges the effort. However, as argued by Mohsin and Lengler
(2015), apart from appreciation, inadequate career advancement opportunities also triggers
turnover decisions because it leads to monotonousness among the employees that affects both
individual and organizational productivity. In Crowne Plaza Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, UAE, the
employees are hardly recognized for their effort and are given inadequate career advancement
opportunities that have triggered the rate of employee turnover.
2.2.4 Lack of job satisfaction
Lack of satisfaction among the employees with their current job also influences the rate
of employee turnover rate. As mentioned by Zopiatis, Constanti and Theocharous (2014), when
the employees develop lack of urge and enthusiasm for the work they do, dissatisfaction arises
that results in less productivity. As a result, the overall performance of the organization and the
individual employee is also compromised largely. As the employees develop dissatisfaction, they
lose interest and dedication with the roles and responsibilities they perform that leads to poor and

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dissatisfactory outcomes. Additionally, the employees also lose confidence that often forces
them to leave an organization thereby, resulting in increased rate of employee turnover. This
employee turnover in business organizations create vacancies within the organization thereby,
resulting in gap in the existing talent pool of the employees. In Crowne Plaza Yas Island in Abu
Dhabi, UAE, job satisfaction is highly noticed among the existing employees that have resulted
in higher rate of employee turnover.
2.3 Theory of employee turnover
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is one of the theories that can be used for understanding the
potential reasons that develops and triggers the decision of leaving an organization and looking
for an alternative organization.
2.3.1 Maslow’s hierarchy of needs
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs comprises of five basic needs that includes psychological,
safety, social, self-esteem and self-actualization. For business organizations to retain the
employees successfully, the five basic needs have to be fulfilled. Fulfilling the five basic needs
allows the employees to feel respected, motivated, and significant and sense of belongingness at
work that influences their decision to stay with the organization for longer period instead of
looking for other organizations in the same sector. This helps in developing interest, commitment
and dedication about Therefore, for business organizations to retain the employees successfully,
the five basic needs have to be fulfilled (Lee and Hanna 2015) (Refer to Appendix 1).
2.4 Methods of reducing employee turnover
As known, employee turnover have devastating impact on the business organizations and
needs to be stopped under any circumstances. As commented by Jung and Yoon (2015), offering

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competitive pays and benefits is one of the ways that can help in reduce the rate of employee
turnover. If the employees are paid appropriately, they feel valued and significant they put in for
organizational development thereby, staying with the company without looking for alternatives.
However, as argued by Hom et al. (2017), praising the employees for even the little effort and
initiatives the employees undertaken either monetarily or non-monetarily helps in reducing the
rate of employee turnover significantly. Additionally, providing career opportunities at regular
interval by conducting internal recruitment also minimizes the rate of employee turnover, as the
employees get adequate opportunity to grow in their career and learn new things that keeps them
interested.
3. Conclusion
Thus, in this literature review it can be summarized that employee turnover is one of the
major issues that business organizations face and Crowne Plaza Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, UAE
is no different when it came to employee turnover. Crowne Plaza is a well-known chain of hotels
that is operating in Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, UAE with its head quarter in United Kingdom. The
chain of hotels operates in nearly 100 countries with huge number of employees employed in the
hotel. Taking into account the tough and intense competition in the hospitality sector, increased
rate of employee turnover imposes devastating impacts on the companies undergoing the crisis.
Employee turnover creates a gap in the existing workforce that generates deficiency in
the existing labor force and the talent pool. It becomes difficult for the business organizations to
fill the gap generated by replacing the employees with the right and most deserving candidates.
Replacing and filling the gap created in the existing workforce incurs additional financial
resources, human resources, time and effort that drag the business organizations backwards

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largely. Thus, from the information provided in the literature review, it can be said that it is
necessary for Crowne Plaza Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, UAE to reduce employee turnover in order
to minimize employee turnover. Reducing employee turnover will provide opportunity for the
chain of hotels in Abu Dhabi in UAE to gain competitive advantages successfully. The
management will have to identify the principle reasons that are leading to the phenomenon of
employee turnover in the hotel that is restricting the hotel to give their best and survive in the
competitive market. In doing so, the management will have to develop strategies for mitigating
the employee turnover. Different strategies those can be used for overcoming employee turnover
issues are adequate pay, flexible shift timings, appreciating and acknowledging the effort of the
employees both monetarily and non-monetarily.

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4. References
Al Mamun, C.A. and Hasan, M.N., 2017. Factors affecting employee turnover and sound
retention strategies in business organization: A conceptual view. Problems and Perspectives in
Management, 15(1), pp.63-71.
Hom, P.W., Lee, T.W., Shaw, J.D. and Hausknecht, J.P., 2017. One hundred years of employee
turnover theory and research. Journal of Applied Psychology, 102(3), p.530.
Jung, H.S. and Yoon, H.H., 2015. Understanding pay satisfaction: The impacts of pay
satisfaction on employees’ job engagement and withdrawal in deluxe hotel. International
Journal of Hospitality Management, 48, pp.22-26.
Lee, J.M. and Hanna, S.D., 2015. Savings goals and saving behavior from a perspective of
Maslow's hierarchy of needs. Journal of Financial Counseling and Planning, 26(2).
Lu, A.C.C. and Gursoy, D., 2016. Impact of job burnout on satisfaction and turnover intention:
do generational differences matter?. Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research, 40(2), pp.210-
235.
Mohsin, A. and Lengler, J., 2015. Exploring the antecedents of staff turnover within the fast-food
industry: The case of Hamilton, New Zealand. Journal of Human Resources in Hospitality &
Tourism, 14(1), pp.1-24.
Panaccio, A., Vandenberghe, C. and Ben Ayed, A.K., 2014. The role of negative affectivity in
the relationships between pay satisfaction, affective and continuance commitment and voluntary
turnover: A moderated mediation model. Human relations, 67(7), pp.821-848.

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Pohler, D. and Schmidt, J.A., 2016. Does Pay‐for‐Performance Strain the Employment
Relationship? The Effect of Manager Bonus Eligibility on Nonmanagement Employee
Turnover. Personnel Psychology, 69(2), pp.395-429.
Shuck, B., Twyford, D., Reio Jr, T.G. and Shuck, A., 2014. Human resource development
practices and employee engagement: Examining the connection with employee turnover
intentions. Human Resource Development Quarterly, 25(2), pp.239-270.
Zopiatis, A., Constanti, P. and Theocharous, A.L., 2014. Job involvement, commitment,
satisfaction and turnover: Evidence from hotel employees in Cyprus. Tourism Management, 41,
pp.129-140.
Zwane, F.N., Du Plessis, L. and Slabbert, E., 2014. Analysing employers' expectations of
employee skills in the South African tourism industry. SA journal of human resource
management, 12(1), pp.1-9.