A Hospitality Industry Case Study : The Impact of Workers Absenteeism at the Vineyard Hotel and Spa Western Cape

Abstract

Absenteeism is the frequent or habitual absence from work and is seen as the biggest cause of lost time and decreased productivity in organisations. However, the Vineyard Hotel and Spa in Cape Town, which employ 300 permanent employees, is experiencing a high rate of absenteeism. The research problem is that if sufficient attention is not paid to the high absenteeism rate, the Vineyard Hotel and Spa will run the risk of losing valuable workers and customers; hence it will threaten the company’s finances. An extensive study of related literature on the topic was undertaken. A multi-disciplinary approach was adopted, whereby literature from areas of strategic management, human resource management, economics and marketing were consulted. The nature of the research dictated both qualitative and quantitative methodologies for a better understanding of the research problem that was identified. Qualitative research involved face-to-face interviews with 8 managers. In addition, a sample size of N=24 was identified to complete the quantitative research questionnaires, choosing participants that manifested certain characteristics in which the researcher was interested. Data analysed revealed the absence of a recognised absenteeism management and monitoring system, lack of accurate recording of absenteeism by managers, as well as a lack of communication between managers and workers. The research conclusively formulated recommendations to the Vineyard Hotel and Spa in order to address the abovementioned problem.