Employee engagement model : an explanatory study of antecedents and consequences for Thai hotel industry

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to find the essential factors that influence the levelof employee engagement, and the outcomes of the employee engagement for the Thaihotel industry. This study also develops the causal relationships model among thepredicted antecedent variables and the consequences of employee engagement for theThai hotel industry. Lastly, the HR practices and organizational approaches aresuggested in order to maximize the level of employee engagement for the Thai hotelindustry. The explanatory sequential mixed methods design was used which startedwith quantitative then qualitative methodologies. In research phase one, selfadministeredquestionnaire was used as a research tool, a total of 429 hotel employeeswere used as the sample in this study. Hypotheses 1-4 were analyzed by multipleregression analysis which is a statistical technique for analyzing relationship amongseveral independent variables toward a dependent variable. The last hypothesis wasexamined by structural equation model analysis. Following with research phase two,five in-depth interviews were conducted, and the interviewed data were analyzed andsynthesized in order to confirm the findings as well as propose with the appropriatehuman resources practices and organizational approaches that would promote theemployee engagement.

The findings of multiple regression analysis showed that all independentvariables explained 44.8% (adjusted R2) of the variance in job satisfaction outcomewith eight significant predictors. Next, all independent variables explained 52.4%(adjusted R2) of the variance in the job performance outcome with five significant predictors. As for organizational citizenship behavior, all independent variablesexplained 48.5% (adjusted R2) of the variance with four significant predictors. Lastly,all independent variables explained 29.9% (adjusted R2) of the variance in the turnover intention outcome with four significant predictors. Comparing the significant predictors of four outcomes, two variables including core self-evaluation and optimism were two personal resources factor that predicted all employee engagementoutcomes. Furthermore, the structural equation modeling techniques was applied todevelop suitable model for employee engagement. The findings indicated thegoodness of fit among five driving factors along and four outcomes of employeeengagement. Focusing on employee engagement driver, the predictors power of theemployee engagement were perceived organizational support, optimism, co-workerrelations, conscientiousness and career opportunity and advancement respectively. Asfor the consequences of employee engagement, the predictors power of the employeeengagement outcomes were job performance, organizational citizenship behavior, jobsatisfaction and turnover intention respectively

In the second phase, the interviewed data were analyzed and synthesized. Thefindings indicated that four out of five respondents advised internal communicationactivities as the most important practice to promote employee engagement withinhotel property, especially in building co-worker relations, perceiving organizationalsupport, stimulating level of employees’ conscientiousness and optimism. Havingeffective internal communication effected good interpersonal relationship in whichbenefited to both individual and organization. Providing training support, promotingsocial activities and CSR, supportive work environment, enhancing careerdevelopment, and leaders’ character were also recommended as the HR practices andapproaches to build up the sense of engagement in the organization. For future study,there are other interesting driving factors and outcomes that can possibly play criticalroles in building employee engagement, should be brought into future research toexamine their predicting potential regarding employee engagement. Lastly, it isrecommended that replication of this study in other industries would bring aboutknowledge and understanding on employee engagement.