Abstract
This paper aims to conceptualizes the influence of person-environment fit (P-E fit) towards the meaning of work (MoW) for tourist guides (TGs) in Malaysia during and post-COVID-19 pandemic. TGs are key frontline workers whose employment is affected by the pandemic. A multilevel construct of P-E fit is adopted (person-organizational fit, person-job fit, and person-group fit) conceptualized as a correlation towards the tripartite work orientation of the MoW (job, career and calling). Four propositions emerge. Junior TGs view their work as a job and/or career; senior TGs perceive their work as a calling. Secondly, person-organizational fit and person-group fit has no influence with ‘job’, while person-job fit could partially influence ‘job’ where demands-abilities has no influence on ‘job’ but need-supplies fit influences ‘job’. Next, person-organization fit and person-job fit correlate with guides’ ‘career’ but not with person-group fit. Finally, all three fits relate to ‘calling’. TGs with a ‘job’ relationship possess low meaning of work; ‘career’ has moderate meaning of work, and ‘calling’ experience high meaning of work. Practitioners benefit from knowledge of levels of correlations between constructs; useful for implementing resilience strategies for post crisis and beyond. A thorough understanding among TGs to remain engaged and motivated is useful for training courses.
Highlights
Tourism was one of the key industries for economic growth in Malaysia
This paper aims to conceptualizes the influence of person-environment fit (P-E fit) towards the meaning of work (MoW) for tourist guides (TGs) in Malaysia during and post-COVID-19 pandemic
This study offers a conceptualization for the relationship between P-E fit and MoW, which contributes to an understanding of these two concepts and the advances person-fit theory since there is a lack of studies which examine which types of P-E fit can become antecedents to MoW (Ünal, 2017)
Summary
Tourism was one of the key industries for economic growth in Malaysia. In 2018, the tourism sector contributed around RM84.1 billion to the Malaysian economy from 25.8 million tourist arrivals (Tourism Malaysia, 2019). The pandemic led to a negative growth of international tourist arrivals for the first half of 2020, a decrease of 68.2 per cent compared to 2019 (Tourism Malaysia, 2020). The tourism and hospitality industry in Malaysia suffered huge losses of around RM3.37 billion with the implementation of the movement control order (MCO) or lockdown (Dzulkifly, 2020). The industry took drastic measures by shrinking operations through salary cuts, unpaid leave, retrenchment as well as termination which resulted in an increased rate of unemployment in this sector. Amidst this scenario, the plight of freelance tourist guides is truly unfortunate. The situation has negative effects on their mental health (stress and depression) as well as their work performance (Hamouche, 2020)
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