Examining how employee perceptions and personal resources influence workplace meaning, work engagement, service quality and turnover intention

Neil Jenkins

doi:10.25907/00913

This research explored how positive organisational behaviour (POB) can be leveraged to enhance service quality and reduce employee turnover intentions of frontline staff within the Australian hotel and resort industry. By improving service quality and reducing turnover, organisations can increase profitability. Drawing on cognitive-motivational-relational (CMR) theory (Lazarus 1991) and the broaden-and-build (B&B) theory of positive emotions (Fredrickson 1998, 2001), the study investigated how an employee’s perception of the level of service quality they deliver (EPSQ) has an impact on their personal resources along with their levels of engagement and meaning they can find within their work-role, which ultimately reduces their intent to leave their organisations. In CMR theory, an individual’s appraisal of a given situation triggers an emotional or positive affective response (Lazarus 1991), which relates to an individual’s underlying emotional state, mood or feeling (Mazzarella 2009). This is relevant since it has been established that positive emotions are associated with providing a high-quality service (Slatten 2008). More specifically, positive emotions can develop from subsequent perceptions of confidence (Lunenburg 2011), emotional gratification (Slatten 2008), feeling personally satisfied with one’s own efforts (He, Murrmann & Perdue 2010) and feeling increasingly satisfied with their job overall (Schlesinger & Zornitsky 1991). Hence, it was reasoned that positive emotions associated with delivering a high level of service quality may stimulate an individual’s positive affect. In B&B theory, positive emotions are evolutionarily driven to facilitate an agent’s survival by building personal resources for future person–environment interactions; furthermore, expanding one’s attention and broadening their thought–action repertoire offer a wider variety of coping strategies (Thompson et al. 2021). When considering frontline hotel workers using B&B theory, it was reasoned that the positive emotions resulting from the self-perceived high level of service quality delivered to their guest might broaden their attentional focus and thought–action repertoire as well as effectively increase their enduring personal resources (Fredrickson 1998, 2001). This research aimed to assess whether employees who report higher levels of EPSQ exhibit the behaviours that typically would be associated with these outlined manifestations. According to Moqbel and Nah (2017), the experience of positive emotions increases an individual’s cognitive capacity and widens their scope of attention. Fredrickson (2000) posits that a broader way of thinking is likely to enhance the prospect of an individual finding meaning in subsequent events. This research attempts to confirm the assumptions proposed by Bandura (1982), which indicate that the process of meaning generation is a cognitive activity that is flexible and can be influenced. This study examines whether employees who report higher levels of EPSQ have an increased likelihood of creating more meaning within their work role. This is relevant since, outside the context of the Australian hotel industry, meaningful work is associated with a high level of work engagement (Jung & Yoon 2016; Kahn 1990; Steger et al. 2013) and a reduction in employee turnover intentions (Dik & Duffy 2012; Scroggins 2008; Sun, Lee & Sohn 2019). The research employed a cross-sectional, quantitative design. The research proposed two theoretical models: the hypothesised flow model and the self-perpetuating positive feedback loop model. These models aimed to explore how high levels of EPSQ could lead to the development of personal resources, increased engagement, meaningful work, and reduced turnover intentions. Through empirical data analysis of 275 frontline employees working in four and five-star Australian hotels and resorts, the research uncovered several key findings. The flow model demonstrated that high EPSQ positively influenced the development of an individual’s personal resources of hope, self-efficacy and psychological resilience. This model also demonstrated that employees who perceive that they deliver high levels of service quality are more likely to find their work meaningful, be highly engaged and less likely to wish to leave their organisation. The self-perpetuating positive feedback loop model revealed that an individual’s personal resources positively impact their perceptions of the service quality level that they deliver which elicits an increase in positive emotion as a result. Furthermore, it was discovered that an individual’s level of engagement partially mediates this relationship. This research provides valuable insights for organisations seeking to enhance employee well-being and drive organisational success. By focusing on enhancing service quality, fostering positive emotions, and building personal resources, organisations within the Australian hotel and resort industry can create a conducive work environment that promotes engagement and meaningful work. By creating a supportive work environment that promotes engagement and meaningful work, organisations can potentially reduce turnover intentions and improve overall performance. The research also contributes to the understanding of several POB constructs along with the theoretical development of both CMR and B&B theories. It advances our understanding of how POB can be leveraged to promote positive work outcomes within the Australian hotel and resort industry. These insights can inform organisational strategies aimed at improving employee satisfaction, retention, and ultimately, organisational profitability.

Examining how employee perceptions and personal resources influence workplace meaning, work engagement, service quality and turnover intention

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