This study investigates the influence of emotional skills on employee turnover and organizational performance in Ghana’s budget hotel industry, where persistent staff attrition continues to undermine service delivery and operational efficiency. Using a validated questionnaire, data were collected from 422 employees across 51 budget hotels, producing strong reliability coefficients (0.70–0.88). Inferential statistical analyses, including the Kruskal–Wallis and Mann–Whitney U tests, show that employee performance is somewhat positively impacted by emotional abilities, particularly self-awareness, empathy, and emotional control. Employees who exhibit stronger emotional competencies demonstrate higher engagement levels, improved work attitudes, and an increased likelihood of remaining with their organizations. The findings underscore the need for hotel managers to prioritise emotional skills development as a strategic human-resource intervention to reduce turnover and enhance organizational effectiveness. Investing in targeted training, coaching, and supportive leadership practices can help develop these competencies, ultimately reducing operational disruptions caused by high employee mobility. Strengthening emotional competencies not only helps stabilise the workforce but also contributes to long-term sustainability, improved service quality, and greater competitiveness within Ghana’s budget hotel sector.
Introduction
In the real world, where global corporations compete for rapid competitive advantages, the value of hospitality and tourism services, in particular, has increased significantly for many nations. As a result, the hospitality and tourist sector has grown to be extremely important to the global economy (Abbas et al., 2021; Saayman & Africa, 2023). It now has a global reach, and as a result, it has a wide range of environmental, social, and economic consequences (Asiaei et al., 2021; Ayoub et al., 2021; Awan et al., 2022; Azam et al., 2023). To control their effects on the environment, society, and economy, the major actors in the sector are presently putting corporate sustainability plans into practice more frequently (Awan et al., 2022). They continued by saying that almost 200 million people are employed by multinational hotel companies, which have grown swiftly to become the greatest employer in the world. The impact of the hospitality business on GDP varies from roughly 2% for countries with a small industry to over 10% for those with a large industry, according to Ampofo (2020). Some of the important standards in the hospitality industry include employee skills, customer satisfaction, and organizational performance (Ghani et al., 2022). On employee skills, the necessity of employee training is highlighted by the competitiveness among budget hotels, which places a premium on employees' abilities. In order to improve the abilities and capabilities of their staff, hotel management responds to training investments (Jallepalli et al., 2022; Çınaroğlu et al., 2023; Ashyrov & Lukason, 2024; Do & Hoang, 2024). Studies show that choosing the most capable workers for training produces a dependable workforce with the most capable staff, as indicated by Piwowar-Sulej (2021). So Kaasinen, Schmalfuß, Özturk, Aromaa, Boubekeur, Heilala, and Walter (2020) propounded that these employees who have been trained then have the authority to implement fresh ideas and distinct techniques for completing a task. Additionally, training plays a crucial role in enabling employees to demonstrate their work habits and attitudes (Delcea et al., 2022; Su et al., 2024) toward working in the budget hotels as posited by Bonfanti, Vigolo, and Yfantidou (2021); then it is expected to lead to customer satisfaction. Employees in budget hotels benefit greatly from emotional skills, as they improves job performance and reduce burnout (Amissah et al., 2022). As a result, all stakeholders in the hotel business must have a high level of emotional skills by being aware of their own emotions and that of others and then respond appropriately in order to show emotional labor (Bavik, 2020). Emotional abilities should be positively connected with job satisfaction and organizational commitment, while turnover should be negatively correlated. The ability to control one's emotions makes people less likely to leave a job due to emotional shocks, which lowers turnover and increases corporate embedment (Nakić et al., 2023). Numerous studies have found that leaders and workers in general who possess a higher degree of emotional intelligence use positive emotions to improve the quality of their decision-making (Hassan, 2022; Madhukar, 2022). According to Carroll, Hirvikoski, Lindholm, and Thorell (2023) and Ahsan, Zeb, and Arzeen (2023), having strong emotional intelligence leads to notable advancements in organizational contexts. For significant economic growth, it is therefore essential to comprehend how emotional intelligence and staff retention tactics might influence the organizational performance of low-cost hotels in Ghana's hospitality sector. This study is very important because the difficulty of retaining outstanding employees has become critical in today's corporate operations, particularly in the hotel industry. The issue of inadequate organizational performance gets more difficult as budget hotels face labor shortages and growing costs, among other challenges (Ahmed et al., 2020).
Objective of the Study
Finding out how employee emotional intelligence and organizational performance relate to personal profiles is the primary goal of this study, which is being conducted in Ghana's low-cost hotels. Particularly, the study examined:
1. How organizational effectiveness and emotional intelligence are related.
2. How personal characteristics influence how emotional intelligence and organizational performance are related.
Literature Review
Budget Hotels
Hotels are just one of several service-related industries that fall under the umbrella of the hospitality sector. Hotels have been selected as the study's focus because of their widespread presence in Ghana. In contrast to other types of lodging, such as self-catering accommodations, caravan and/or camp sites, or residences, hotels are defined by international accommodations as establishments that have at least one licensed bar and restaurant on the premises (Kozlov, 2021), on-site management that serves breakfast, and occasionally conference or banqueting facilities (Mosikatsana, 2022). A budget hotel is a kind of establishment that offers guests looking for an affordable option lodging at a fair price. Budget hotels are more basic and offer fewer facilities and services than luxury hotels, claim Maraya et al. (2023). Many overseas tourists are drawn to the nation by the tourism industry. Often, these tourists are forced to make bookings at hotels and guesthouses. Furthermore, according to Mun, Woo, and Seo (2021), budget hotels are usually simpler and more basic than luxury hotels, and they offer fewer amenities and services. When they are able to retain qualified staff for extended periods of time, these low-cost accommodation options will have a competitive edge over luxury hotels. Like those in other African nations, Ghana's hotel industry, particularly its low-cost hotels, unfortunately faces several challenges (Hervie et al., 2022). The study focuses on organizational performance and emotional skills at low-cost hotels in the Greater Accra Area. The performance of Ghana's budget hotels has declined as a result of their inability to retain motivated staff; employee retention strategies are a key issue for the hospitality industry, especially these low-cost hotels. Budget hotels are finding it difficult to motivate employees to remain with the company for as long as possible in order to improve organizational performance (Simmons, 2023).
Emotional Skills
Emotions have a variety of effects on both personal and professional relationships (Stoichkova, 2023). According to Proceedings (2020), emotional intelligence, often referred to as emotional abilities, is the capacity to identify, assess, and control one's own, other people's, and collective emotions. In their research, Drigas, Papoutsi, and Skianis (2023) clarified that in order to reach emotional self-realization, a person must gradually and hierarchically train and build a set of skills and talents. Therefore, emotional skills are a crucial concept because workers who are able to understand their own and others' feelings will be able to control their negative emotions when engaging with others or in stressful situations. Emotional intelligence is essential for people to successfully manage change in a company. Therefore, it is the responsibility of every employee to cultivate emotional intelligence in the workplace from the moment they enter the company (Thomas et al., 2022). Emotional skills are divided into four categories. The ability to identify and express emotions as well as distinguish between different sentimental expressions is the first branch (Ezzameli & Mahersia, 2023). The second branch is emotional assimilation, which shows emotion-prioritized thinking by focusing attention on pertinent information (Prentice, 2023). The third is understanding and differentiating emotions, and the fourth is controlling them (Soto et al., 2022). (Sanchez-Gomez & Breso, 2020) Employees hired from a company often interact with one another. According to Cui, Liu, and Li (2023), emotionality is therefore a basic element of all human relationships and the foundation of all behavior (Sedova, 2022; Bahrawi & Ali, 2023).
Self-Awareness
The most important emotional skill is self-awareness, which shows how effectively a person understands and describes their own feelings, as well as the reasons behind them. Therefore, the first step in raising an employee's emotional skills at work is for them to be self-aware, according to Sembiring, Dalimunthe, and Gultom (2023). Furthermore, it was realized that self-awareness is typically characterized by conscious awareness of one’s personality, emotions, thoughts, abilities, shortcomings, values, motives, and desires. It is a psychological condition in which one’s self becomes the centre of attention (Jaakkola et al., 2022).
Managing People and Self Emotions
Emotional management is being in control of your own and others' emotions with the goal of creating a desired condition of affairs. Emotional skills were originally defined as the capacity to track one's own and other people's feelings and emotions, differentiate between them, and utilize this knowledge to guide one's thoughts (Hökkä et al., 2023). Moreover, it is a set of abilities (verbal and nonverbal) that allows a person to produce, recognize, express, and evaluate their own emotions as well as those of others to direct thought and action that successfully navigates social demands and pressures (Miao et al., 2024). Hence, the ability to recognize, react to, and manipulate emotional information without necessarily understanding it, as well as the capacity to comprehend and regulate emotions without necessarily recognizing or fully experiencing feelings, according to Henden (2023), are examples of emotional skills.
Organizational Performance
Ghasemaghaei and Ghasemaghaei (2020) define "organizational performance" as a complete measurement of a firm's success based on the efficacy and efficiency of its organizational procedures. Nonfinancial aspects of the company, including product quality, customer satisfaction, on-time delivery, efficiency, productivity, market share, staff contentment, attainment of strategic goals, employee development, and improvement, are evaluated by organizational performance. (Gray, 2021). Nonfinancial factors can have a favorable impact on an organization's performance irrespective of size or kind (Ahmad et al., 2021).
Employee Productivity
Performance is vital for both organizations and people since it is one of the most critical factors in obtaining financial success for them. Additionally, completing a job may be a significant source of personal fulfillment (Duong & Nguyen, 2023). Moreover, in a competitive environment, increasing employee productivity (EPD) is a major priority for many organizations due to the numerous advantages it provides to both the latter and its workforce (Mallongi & Ernyasih, 2022; Sarkar et al., 2023; Doddapanen et al., 2024). Increased productivity leads to lucrative economic growth, substantial profits, and beneficial social progress (Ghazi & Eldanaoui, 2023). Within an organization or corporation, employee productivity is a means by which a group of individuals can accomplish their objectives.
Theoretical Framework
The study is based on the Theory of Social Exchange, propounded by George Homans in 1958 in his publication as cited by Cook and Hahn (2021), which is a voluntary activity performed with the hope of gaining something from another person based on a relationship of mutual benefit as indicated by Xu and Zhang (2022). Furthermore, according to the notion, a corporation is more likely to see a better return on investment when it acknowledges and invests in talent (Dalal & Akdere, 2023). By enabling a just exchange between workers and the company, these initiatives promote a positive work environment and commitment from employees (Batool et al., 2023).
Empirical Review
The goal of empirical analysis, in a type of study, is to find concrete and verifiable evidence. By using accurate, repeatable, and palpable real-world data rather than personal bias and following the scientific method, researchers can draw conclusions from empirical analysis (Small & Calarco, 2022). As such, the core assumption of empirical analysis is that direct observation is the best way to investigate reality and ascertain the truth, according to Casula, Rangarajan, and Shields (2021). Because they may instruct scientists on how to conduct inquiries and give definite and accurate data, their methods are an essential part of scientific research. Empirical findings from previous work have been conducted and tested on the variables emotional skills and organizational performance.
Emotional Skills and Organizational Performance
Employee service is still one of the most crucial elements accessible to enterprises to achieve organizational effectiveness, according to the research's findings, which focus on the relationship between employee emotional abilities and customer retention in a particular set of hotels. According to Ekeke and Nwokaego (2022), emotionally stable staff members are better able to connect with hotel guests and deliver outstanding service. They continued by saying that when customers' expectations are fulfilled, they would be satisfied, which will unavoidably result in customers being loyal to the hotel brand. This study has implications for hotel managers who wish to control their employees' emotional stability in order to boost performance (Azam, 2023). Among their recommendations were the following: (i) Human resource, departmental, and unit supervisors should regularly evaluate the behavior and emotional states of service employees in their organizations to make sure they can consistently deliver excellent services to the satisfaction of their target customers; and (ii) Some aspects of advancement should be contingent on an employee's emotional stability. Additionally, according to Talukder and Galang (2021), organizational supervisors should show empathy when employees ask for assistance with personal matters because doing so helps them maintain emotional stability while working, which enables them to give the organization their all.
Personal Profiles and Organizational Performance
Demographics are a collection of characteristics that are used to classify a group of individuals according to certain criteria, such as age, gender, income level, education, ethnicity, marital status, and employment (AlShurman et al., 2021). Demographic data can be used by researchers to find patterns and trends within a community. Therefore, an analysis was conducted to determine how an employee's length of service and education may impact the performance of the firm.
Education and Organizational Performance
Individuals with a lesser level of occupational education and training can find work performing basic labor duties. However, as Hack-Polay, Dal Mas, Mahmoud, and Rahman (2022) pointed out, these firms require employees with a high level of professional competence, certificates, and theoretical and practical training for socially demanding positions. A study by Ghani, Zada, Memon, Ullah, Khattak, Han, and Araya-Castillo (2022) found that training is required for employees with lower levels of occupational education and training to perform their tasks.
Thus, training would increase staff productivity to match the hotels' goals, according to Luo, Ma, and Li (2021). Employee training, then, is a process designed to increase technical proficiency, productivity, awareness, and value while also making a particular task much easier to perform, as cited in a study by Gajdzik and Wolniak (2022). Additionally, training enables employees to stay up to date with emerging trends and cutting-edge products (Bao & Yang, 2023). Both on- and off-the-job training are possible (Trávníčková & Maršíková, 2023).
Employee productivity and performance are much enhanced by on-the-job training, which in turn increases organizational performance, as propagated in a study by Nguyen, Nguyen, Tran, Le, Le, and Vu (2021). Compared to off-the-job training, on-the-job training is far more advantageous for budget hotels, as it facilitates easier skill acquisition (Armada & Armada, 2021). The data presented indicate that employee performance increased as a result of staff training.
Length of Service and Organizational Performance
The term "length of service" describes how long a worker stays with one company. In the workplace, this idea is highly relevant (Valdez & Limos-Galay, 2023). Longer-serving employees frequently show greater loyalty and job stability. Length of service is a measure used to determine how long an employee has worked for a company on average. This figure can be utilized to compare teams or age groups and might assist you in assessing the stability of your staff (Tong et al., 2021). A long tenure also usually means that a person is happy with their job and is less likely to quit, which saves your company money on training a replacement. It is crucial to remember that length of service should not be the sole factor you consider when assessing your staff; a lengthy tenure does not always indicate that a worker is engaged or productive. There are several reasons why it is critical for organizations to monitor length of service (Widarko & Anwarodin, 2022). First, determining which workers are most likely to stick with the company over the long term is helpful. Planning for succession and choosing training and development opportunities both benefit greatly from this information. An individual's job experience is comprised of the skills and knowledge they have acquired over a lengthy period of employment. A corporation can allocate a worker to a position that best fits their credentials by taking into account their work experience (Rivaldo & Nabella, 2023). Work experience can also have a favorable impact on achieving optimal employee performance. Additionally, it was shown that employee performance is more productive when there is job discipline. Additionally, when education, training, experience, and job discipline are combined, employee performance undoubtedly rises. Selvi and Aiswarya (2023) cited other researchers in whose work there were findings on the relationship between emotional skills and length of service. It was found that those with 3-6 years of experience performed better on the self-motivation dimension, which was the only one where job experience made a difference. Years of experience and the emotional quotient did not show any regular pattern. However, length of service has an impact on emotional skills, according to studies by Sandi, Afni Yunita, Heikal, Nur Ilham, and Sinta (2021), which concluded that there is a connection between emotional skills and length of service. This is because as employees are retained for a lengthy period in service, resilience is developed in the hotel settings to enhance organizational performance as they put resources together for progress. These employees become adaptive to the daily stress associated with attending to guests’ needs and other stakeholder expectations. But on the other hand, a study by Iqbal and Noor (2023), propagated that the length of service does not influence emotional skills or emotional stability for organizational performance.
The following theories are postulated in light of the conceptual and empirical literature:
H01: Emotional intelligence and organizational performance are not significantly correlated.
H02: The impact of emotional intelligence on organizational performance is not mitigated by individual educational backgrounds or duration of service.
Conceptual Framework
Based on the earlier evaluations, the study's conceptual framework was created as shown in Figure 1, which also includes the moderators (personal profiles), the independent variable (emotional skills), and the dependent variable (organizational performance).
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|
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Figure 1. Conceptual Framework Source: Authors’ Conceptualization |
Materials and Methods
The phrase "research philosophy" refers to a set of presumptions on the features of the world being studied. This social science study guide contains ontological, philosophical, and epistemological ideas, which provide the foundational framework for understanding how knowledge is constructed and interpreted. According to Boateng and Otoo (2020), there are three types of epistemology: objectivist, positivist or constructionist, and subjectivist. The importance of context and the impact of human interpretation on the development of knowledge are highlighted by constructionist or positivist epistemology (Al-Ababneh, 2020). A quantitative positivist research methodology was deliberately chosen for this study to ensure systematic, objective, and replicable results. The study's variables, organizational performance and emotional capabilities, served as the foundation for hypotheses that were tested empirically utilizing exacting statistical techniques and theoretical speculations. These theories and assumptions were directly addressed by this philosophy. The positivist method is justified because it uses quantitative data to uncover correlations between variables, looks for patterns among components to explain and predict social processes, and provides measurable evidence that can inform practical interventions (Bonache, 2021; Maxwell, 2021). The use of positivism, which involves testable hypotheses, well-stated theory, and methodical operationalization of variables, was also motivated by the goal to lessen prejudice, increase objectivity, and strengthen the reliability and validity of the research findings (Within, 2023).
Research Design and Data Collection
Surveys are the primary research tools for gathering data as part of a larger research strategy (Story & Tait 2019). A survey research design was used in the study because of its anonymity and flexibility. It gives respondents the confidence to answer surveys on delicate subjects honestly. Researchers can get a great deal of quantitative data using surveys; the data can be collected by distributing a self-made questionnaire to each respondent. Compared to experimentation and observation, surveys are a more effective way to gather primary data (Jain, 2021; Pandey & Pandey, 2021).
Research Approach
More precisely, this study's survey uses a quantitative research approach, using questionnaires to gather information from participants and offer a wealth of data. The survey approach was chosen as the best fit for this study because of its economic benefits, speed of data collection, and ability to detect population characteristics from a sample taken from the population. To reach trustworthy and correct results, the data was organized and presented utilizing a system. This reduced the number of errors during the study activity.
Sample frame: The survey included 422 workers from 51 low-cost hotels in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. Since Ghana's capital is located there, the Greater Accra Region was selected over other regions. And second, the Greater Accra Region is where the majority of companies have their headquarters.
Sample Technique and Size Determination
Mweshi and Sakyi (2020) define sampling as the process of selecting a group to collect data from. Since it is not feasible to study the entire population, researchers need a sample, the actual participants, and can use a range of sampling procedures.
Sample Units and Sample Frames
Sampling enables researchers to draw conclusions about a portion of a broader population, according to Hennink and Kaiser (2022). Although sample mistakes are possible, methods include judgment, random, block, and systematic sampling. Because of the tiny population, this study employed total enumeration to examine every aspect of the operational personnel (housekeeping, front desk, food production, and service) at low-cost hotels (Tillé, 2020).
Instrumentation
A validated questionnaire with closed-ended items on a 6-point Likert scale was used to gather quantitative data from 422 participants (Chung et al., 2022). Eleven questions were used to test emotional abilities (Nart et al., 2019; Proceedings, 2020), and sixteen items were used to measure organizational performance (Hallencreutz & Parmler, 2021; Mori Jafari et al., 2021; Xu & Zhang, 2022). Factor analysis, descriptive statistics, and demographic profiling were all used in data analysis.
Demographic profiles of respondents
Table 1. Sociodemographic profiles of respondents
|
Variable |
N=422 |
Percent(%) |
|
Gender of respondents |
||
|
Male |
245 |
58.1% |
|
Female |
177 |
41.9% |
|
What is your age |
||
|
20-35 years |
345 |
81.8% |
|
36-55years |
69 |
16.4% |
|
56years and above |
8 |
1.9% |
|
Educational level |
||
|
WASSCE/SSCE |
200 |
47.4% |
|
GCE o level |
27 |
6.4% |
|
GCE a level |
11 |
2.6% |
|
Bachelors |
42 |
10.0% |
|
Masters |
13 |
3.1% |
|
Others |
129 |
30.6% |
|
Length of service |
||
|
0-5years |
264 |
62.6% |
|
6-10years |
105 |
24.9% |
|
11-20years |
36 |
8.5% |
|
21-30years |
9 |
2.1% |
|
31-40years |
8 |
1.9% |
Note: N refers to total respondents
The demographic profiles of the respondents are shown in Table 1. 58.1% (n=245) of the 422 responders were men, and 41.9% (n=177) were women. Regarding the age category, 81.8% (n=345) of the participants were in the 20–35 age range, 16.4% (n=69) were in the 36–55 age range, and 1.9% (n=8) were over 56. The respondents' educational backgrounds are as follows: 30.6% (n=129) held other certifications, whereas 47.4% (n=200) held WASSCE/SSCE, 6.4% (n=27) held GCE O' level, 2.6% (n=11) held GCE A' level, 10% (n=42) held bachelor's degrees, and 3.1% (n=13) held master's degrees. Regarding the length of service, the results table indicates that 62.6% (n=264) have served between 0 and 5 years, 24.9% (n=105) have served between 6 and 10 years, 8.5% (n=36) have served between 11 and 20 years, 2.1% (n=9) have served between 21 and 30 years, and 1.9% (n=8) have served between 31 and 40 years.
This section presents the findings of the prediagnostic tests performed on the collected data before the inferential analysis to verify that the regression requirements of homogeneity of variances, normality, multicollinearity, and linearity were satisfied.
Research Question One
How do workers in the hospitality sector view emotional intelligence?
The first study used descriptive statistics to examine respondents' self-awareness and self-emotional and interpersonal management responses on a six-point Likert scale.
Hypothesis One (H01)
The performance of an organization and emotional intelligence are not significantly correlated.
Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) was performed using SmartPLS 4.09 in order to evaluate hypothesis one, which claims that emotional skills and organizational performance are not significantly correlated. Access to the measurement and structural model was made in order to ascertain the link. This study focused on the value of R, which is the statistical tool used to quantify the direction and intensity of the linear relationship between organizational performance and emotional abilities. It was calculated by taking the square root of the R2 from the route analysis. To test hypothesis 1, the association between organizational performance and emotional abilities was established using the T-statistic value, R value, F square (f2), Q square value, and structure path co-efficient (β-value).
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Figure 2. Path Analysis Showing the Measurement and Structural Model for Hypothesis One Source: Author Data, via Smart PLS 4.0.9 (2023) |
The results of the PLS-SEM path analysis for the inner (structural) and outer (measurement) models are displayed in Figure 2, along with the degree to which each latent variable is measured by the items on it. Table 2 summarizes the association between organizational performance and the emotional skills characteristics that are indicated by the inner model.
Table 2. An overview of the PLS-SEM analysis of the connection between organizational performance and emotional intelligence
|
Path Description |
Structural Path Co-efficient Beta (β) |
T |
Sig. |
F2 |
R |
R2 |
Q2 |
|
Managing People and Self Emotions -> Organizational Performance |
0.446 |
6.135 |
0.000 |
0.163 |
0.643 |
0.413 |
0.393 |
|
Self-Awareness -> Organizational Performance |
0.241 |
3.67 |
0.000 |
0.048 |
Source: Researcher’s Result via SmartPLS Version 4.0.9 (2023)
Figure 2 demonstrates that emotional abilities, such as managing people (β = 0.446, p < 0.05) and self-emotions/self-awareness (β = 0.241, p < 0.05), are substantially correlated with organizational effectiveness. A moderate association is shown by the R-value of 0.643 (Hair et al., 2013; Liu et al., 2021). Effect sizes (f²) indicate that self-awareness has a minor influence (f² = 0.048) on organizational performance, but managing people and self-emotions has a substantial impact (f² = 0.163) (Cohen, 1988). According to Asiaei et al. (2021) and Davcik (2014), emotional abilities have a strong overall predictive significance for organizational success (Q² = 0.393).
Prentice (2022) discovered that workers' engagement rises with emotional abilities, corroborating Alsughayir (2021), who rejected Ho1 by linking emotional skills to commitment, job happiness, customer satisfaction, and productivity. Selvi and Aiswarya (2023) discovered no significant correlation between education and emotional abilities, while nontechnical backgrounds may exhibit greater emotional skills (Jiménez-Rodríguez et al., 2022). However, educational attainment influences perceived organizational performance. Longer tenure improves task, creative, and adaptive performance in the hotel industry, increasing output and organizational efficacy (Kalia & Bhardwaj, 2019).
Organizational performance in hospitality is positively influenced by employees’ emotional intelligence. Job satisfaction, tenure, and education enhance productivity, commitment, and creativity. Performance can be improved by fostering emotional intelligence and a positive, non-monetary work environment.
Implications for Theory and Practice
Implications for Management
Managers in the hospitality industry should make an investment in their staff members' emotional intelligence by providing them with training in interpersonal communication, emotional control, and self-awareness. Long-tenured employees are valuable because they frequently exhibit greater dedication and flexibility. Without requiring significant financial resources, low-cost initiatives like peer support groups, mentoring programs, and frequent feedback sessions can foster a positive work environment.
The study emphasizes how crucial it is for business and hospitality education to incorporate soft skills and emotional intelligence. In addition to better preparing graduates for service-oriented businesses, emphasizing these non-technical skills alongside standard training lays the groundwork for future studies on their influence on organizational results.
Implications for the Society
Strong emotional skills improve an organization's reputation, customer satisfaction, and service excellence. By enhancing hospitality experiences, lowering workplace stress, and fostering employee well-being, they also help society. Positive workplace cultures are more likely to draw and keep talented workers who provide the community with excellent services.
Implications for Policy and Industry Stakeholders
Industry associations and legislators can boost hospitality performance by promoting emotional skills training and supporting initiatives that prioritize employee well-being and non-monetary incentives.
Recommendations
To improve employee well-being, productivity, and overall competitiveness in the hotel industry, politicians and industry groups should actively and consistently support emotional skills training. Low-cost hotels frequently have trouble keeping emotionally competent staff, which results in unsatisfactory visitor experiences and decreased revenue. To boost performance, management could strengthen HRM processes by prioritizing emotional skills through training, coaching, and mentorship; recognizing experienced staff in mentoring positions; and strategically incorporating emotional skills into recruiting and career development initiatives.
This study connects emotional skills and organizational performance in low-cost hotels, demonstrating how these strategies improve commitment, sustainability, and productivity through mutually beneficial employee-organization connections.
Theoretical Contribution
The study provides fresh insights into how different skill levels determine organizational results and advances theory in service-oriented organizations by demonstrating how emotional skills—self-awareness, emotion control, and interpersonal management—directly affect budget hotel performance.
Limitations of the Study
While qualitative study on turnover intentions might uncover employees' motivations and difficulties at low-cost hotels, directing customized retention efforts, future studies should utilize bigger, varied samples and include senior personnel.
Suggestion(s) for Further Studies
Larger sample sizes and a variety of contexts, including senior staff and management, should be used in future studies. These groups' thoughts on turnover may be shown through their insights. A qualitative investigation of turnover intention and the three factors might yield valuable information for employee retention tactics and elucidate the reasons behind employee departures, hence facilitating site-specific solutions. Increasing the study's scope to include places like Tema would also improve its external validity.
Acknowledgments: The writers would like to express their sincere gratitude to everyone whose thoughts and recommendations influenced this work.
Conflict of Interest: None
Financial Support: None
Ethics Statement: None
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