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Employee engagement, its antecedents and effects on business performance in hospitality industry: a multilevel analysis

Xiaoming (Rose) Liu (Faculty of Business Administration, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China)
Jing (Jasper) Yu (Faculty of Business Administration, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China)
Qiang Guo (School of Tourism, Hainan University, Haikou, China)
Jun (Justin) Li (School of Tourism Management, South China Normal University, Higher Education Mega Center, Guangzhou, China and Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Zhuhai, China)

International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management

ISSN: 0959-6119

Article publication date: 29 July 2022

Issue publication date: 1 November 2022

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Abstract

Purpose

Employee engagement serves as a critical strategy for tourism and hospitality organizations to support their employees and fight adversity. This study aims to investigate the antecedents and effects of employee engagement and examine innovative behavior as a linchpin mechanism for the relationship between organizational engagement culture and organizational performance.

Design/methodology/approach

This study analyzed the antecedents and effects of employee engagement through a hierarchical linear model that considers both organizational- and individual-level factors. The data was collected through a questionnaire survey from employees of 39 hotels in Guangzhou, China.

Findings

The results confirmed the significant positive effect of organizational empowerment, leadership and collaboration atmosphere on employment engagement. An individual’s perception of rewards and recognition, distributive justice and procedural justice significantly affected employee engagement. It was also confirmed that employee engagement ultimately improved performance outcomes at the individual and organizational levels. Additionally, the mediation effect of organizational innovation culture on the relationship between organizational employee engagement and organizational performance was confirmed.

Practical implications

Organizations can improve their performance by enhancing employee engagement, which in turn, can be encouraged by empowering leadership and organizational collaboration culture. Organizations can also improve their performance by providing rewards and recognition appreciated by employees and ensuring justice to them.

Originality/value

This research contributes to the literature on employee engagement in the hospitality industry by demonstrating how organizational performance can be improved through employee engagement using a multilevel model. The findings highlight that organizations with engaged employees are more likely to achieve an innovative culture, which in turn, leads to organizational success. This study also confirmed that empowerment, leadership and collaboration culture help improve organizational performance in the hospitality industry.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

This research was supported by GuangDong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation (Grant Number: 2022A1515010376), GuangDong Planning Office of Philosophy and Social Science (Grant Number: GD19CGL31), and University of Macau (Grant Number: MYRG2019-00058-FBA).

Citation

(Rose) Liu, X., Yu, J.(J)., Guo, Q. and Li, J.(J). (2022), "Employee engagement, its antecedents and effects on business performance in hospitality industry: a multilevel analysis", International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, Vol. 34 No. 12, pp. 4631-4652. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCHM-12-2021-1512

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2022, Emerald Publishing Limited

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