Perceptions on Employee Development and Turnover Intentions of Hotel Employees in Kenyan Hotels Post Covid-19

Abstract

Purpose: The COVID-19 pandemic certainly had a negative impact on hospitality workers. With the recent recovery, the goal of the research was to assess hotel employees' intentions for career progression as well as their intentions for reskilling to improve their employability. 
 Materials and Methods: The research population is made up of hotel employees from all throughout Kenya, including those working in the food and beverage, kitchen, housekeeping, and front office departments. The respondents were 394 employees who had taken refresher courses. The sampling techniques used was purposive sampling technique. Data was collected using a questionnaire, analyzed using quantitative techniques and presented in charts, graphs and, and tables 
 Findings: Employees value career growth and progression, which allows them to receive promotions or advance in their jobs, according to the findings. However, the majority of them are dissatisfied with their salary and believe the market is volatile, so they may consider quitting the field and changing occupations for better prospects and job stability. Employees who were allowed to improve their work skills through training were more likely to be loyal and would not consider leaving their jobs because they felt the organization valued their competencies. This resulted in desired organizational performance, creating a reciprocal relationship between the employee and the employer. 
 Implications to Theory, Practice and Policy: It was suggested that the hotel industry build crisis resilience methods for dealing with uncertainties and calamities while considering staff welfare and retention strategies such as giving employee development opportunities. The research contributes to the social exchange theory where employees feel a sense of belonging to the employer while the organization in turn benefits from employee loyalty. As a practice, organizations need to create mechanisms to deal with crisis and uncertainties for employee welfare in addition to retention strategies like employee development opportunities and competitive remuneration. Furthermore, the hotel industry would be instrumental in the development of a national government policy on the establishment of a reserve fund to protect the business and its employees in the case of unforeseen circumstances as happened with the pandemic.