An exploratory study of work-family conflicts and enrichment of front-line hotel employees in the Philippines

Master's thesis in International Hospitality ManagementThe study aims to explore and identify the front-line hotel employees’ issues and perceptions of work-life balance in the Philippine context. The respondents were front-line hotel personnel assigned to various departments of selected top luxury hotels in the Philippines. Self-administered questionnaires were used to collect the data. Factor analysis discovered five factors: (1) time-based conflict; (2) strain-based conflict; (3) behaviour-based conflict; (4) causes and consequences of work-family conflicts (WFCs); and (5) work-family enrichment (WFE). The front-line hotel employees had experienced time-based, strain-based and behaviour-based WFCs in their workplaces with consequent negative impacts on their work, family, physical and psychological health outcomes. The employees generally perceived that their work and life are not balanced in their jobs. The findings suggest that time-based conflict, strain-based conflict and causes and consequences of WFCs are negatively correlated with the overall perception of work-life balance among employees while work-life enrichment is positively correlated with work-life balance. Thus, WFCs have not spared the Philippine hotel industry and the employees need work-family enrichment (WFE). Work-life initiatives are recommended to increase work-life balance, improve the position of hotels as an employer of choice, and retain and attract better quality workers