How employees perceive and (dis)engage with ‘green’ practices in luxury hotels

Abstract

The success of implementation of ‘green’ practices in hotels depends on employees. Many studies assume that hotel employees perceive ‘green’ practices positively and, therefore, engage with environmental conservation. Employees can, however, feel negative towards ‘green’ practices and disengage with their implementation. By interviewing 28 frontline employees in luxury hotels in China, this study explores their perceptions of ‘green’ practices and related behavioural response. The study finds that employee perceptions can be categorised as positive, neutral, and negative falling into four types: value creation; image building; control system; formalism. These perceptions trigger five patterns of behavioural response ranging from positive (pro-active support), via neutral (passive compliance; indifference) to negative (informal protest; avoidance). The study enables preliminary conceptualisation of complex employee response to environmental sustainability interventions in luxury hotels in China and beyond. The study outlines measures for hotel administrations to facilitate positive staff attitudes to environmental conservation.