Understanding commitment within the leisure service contingent workforce

Abstract

Over the past few decades, hundreds of empirical investigations have examined the construct of “workplace commitment”. Much of this research is based on the assumption that commitment is tied to longevity within a given organization. However, work patterns, particularly in many leisure delivery systems, are inconsistent with the longevity model. Leisure settings often rely, not on full-time lifelong employees, but on contingent employees, those working part-time, seasonally, or on a temporary basis. This study used qualitative methods to explore the experience of contingent leisure workers. The goal was to discover the level and type of commitment they experienced and to determine variables that most influenced that commitment. Twenty-four contingent employees took part in a semi-structured interview. Critical incident technique was used to examine specific incidents and their subsequent influence on commitment levels and types. Their commitment was based very strongly on enthusiasm and passion for various components (the organization, supervisor, occupation, workgroup, and client) of the work setting. However, participants' attention was focused primarily on the client and on their respective supervisors. Interactions with either could have dramatic implications for their commitment levels. We found too that these employees could be profoundly influenced by the setting in which the work took place and by the activities that dominated their workday. This is the first time setting and activity have been identified in commitment research. We speculate that both may be most salient in leisure contexts.