A Factor−Cluster Approach to Understanding Hong Kong Hotel Employees' Symptom-management-related Coping Behavior Towards Job Stress

Abstract

Job stress is widespread within the hotel industry, given its people-orientation and long working hours. This study used a factor−cluster approach to investigate how hotel employees cope with job stress. Cluster analysis identified distinct groups within the sample, and the relationships between demographic factors and coping behavior were then examined. Exploratory qualitative in-depth interviews were used to develop an instrument for measuring job stress and coping behavior, after which a survey was conducted to discover the underlying dimensions and types of those behavior. One hundred and eighty-five staff from 15 hotels in Hong Kong responded to the questionnaire. Factor analysis identified four types of coping behavior: (1) organizational initiatives, (2) sharing with people, (3) personal behavior, and (4) emotional release. Several demographic factors showed significant correlations with some of these four types of behavior. Cluster analysis revealed three distinct groups: (1) aggressive reactors, (2) medium reactors, and (3) mild reactors. Aggressive reactors were found to score higher than mild reactors for all types of coping behavior. However, no significant correlations were found between the demographic variables and the three clusters. The implications of the study for hotel owners and managers are discussed.