The Influence of Interpersonal Factors on Job Satisfaction and Gender Differences: A Case Study of Hotel Employees in Dili, Timor-Leste

Abstract

Research examining job satisfaction may not be uncommon, however, there is a scarcity of studies that have been conducted to investigate the effect of interpersonal relationships on job satisfaction. The objective of this study is to examine the relative importance of interpersonal factors and their influence on job satisfaction and gender differences among employees in the hotel industry in Dili, Timor-Leste. A survey of hotel employees was undertaken, yielding a total of 385 respondents. Data were analyzed by using correlation and regression analysis. The hypothesized model explained more of the variance for the male sample than for the female sample. For both genders, career encouragement is a common factor with a direct effect on job satisfaction. For female employees, mentor support directly predicts job satisfaction. Among male employees, informal network directly influences job satisfaction. This study is the first to examine interpersonal factors and their effect on job satisfaction of hotel employees in Timor-Leste and whether such factors predict job satisfaction differently for males and females. We present the theoretical and practical implications of the role of interpersonal factors on job satisfaction.