Development and evaluation of a work engagement and job burnout structural model among service providers in the South African hospitality industry

Thesis (MCom)--Stellenbosch University, 2021.ENGLISH SUMMARY : Hospitality employees (hereafter referred to as service providers) face stressful situations every day and must cope with the well-being burden of various job demands (Reynolds et al., 2021). In addition, hospitality service providers are expected to put a smile on their faces to ensure excellent service delivery in the hospitality industry (Chi et al., 2011). Unfortunately, the pressure experienced by these service providers may lead to a higher risk of burnout which will directly affect their well-being (Alberto, 2020). With the hospitality industry growing worldwide, together with its contribution in addressing poverty and unemployment issues in South Africa (SA), it is evident that the hospitality industry is regarded as a high impact industry as well as being one of the largest industries worldwide. To maintain and safeguard the well-being of this industry, it is vital to investigate work engagement and job burnout. The aim of this study was to build a conceptual model that represents the dynamics of the most salient psychological processes aimed at clarifying the variance in job burnout and work engagement amongst service providers in the SA hospitality industry. An ex post facto correlation design with a convenience sample of eighty-two (82) participants was utilised in the study. Partial Least Squares Structural Equations Modelling (PLS-SEM) analyses results provided support for five (5) of the eighteen (18) hypothesised paths. Hypotheses one (1), two (2), three (3) and five (5) act as additional support for the JD-R theory, hypothesising that job demands are, in general, the most important predictors of burnout, whereas both job and personal resources are, broadly speaking, the most vital predictors of work engagement (Bakker & Demerouti, 2014). The findings of this research study highlighted the importance of interventions that nurture both job resources and personal resources in the quest for improving work engagement and decreasing job burnout in the SA hospitality industry.AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING : Gasvryheidswerknemers kom elke dag met stresvolle situasies te staan en moet die effek van verskillende werksvereistes op hulle welstand die hoof bied (Reynolds et al., 2021). Meer nog, daar word verwag dat gasvryheidswerknemers 'n glimlag op hul gesigte moet plaas om uitstekende dienslewering in die gasvryheidsbedryf te verseker (Chi et al., 2011). Ongelukkig kan die druk wat hierdie werknemers ervaar, lei tot 'n hoër risiko vir uitbranding en die welstand van hierdie werknemers negatief beïnvloed (Alberto, 2020). Met die omvang van die gasvryheidsbedryf wat wêreldwyd groei en sy bydrae om armoede- en werkloosheidskwessies in Suid-Afrika (SA) aan te spreek, is dit duidelik dat die gasvryheidsbedryf beskou word as 'n bedryf met 'n groot impak en as een van die grootste bedrywe wêreldwyd. Om die welstand van hierdie bedryf te handhaaf, is dit noodsaaklik om die werknemerbetrokkenheidsvlakke en uitbrandingsvlakke van gasvryheidswerknemers te ondersoek. Die doel van hierdie studie was dus om 'n konseptuele model te bou wat die dinamika van die belangrikste sielkundige prosesse voorstel wat verwag word om die afwyking in werkuitbranding en werkbetrokkenheid onder werknemers in die SA gasvryheidsbedryf duidelik te maak. 'n Ex post facto korrelasionele ontwerp met 'n gerieflikheidsteekproef van twee-en-tagtig (82) deelnemers is gebruik. Resultate van PLS-SEM analises het vyf (5) van die agtien (18) hipoteses ondersteun. Hipoteses een (1), twee (2), drie (3) en vyf (5) bied addisionele ondersteuning vir die JD-R-teorie (Bakker & Demerouti, 2014). Hierdie teorie postuleer dat werkhulpbronne en persoonlike hulpbronne oor die algemeen die belangrikste voorspellers van werksbetrokkenheid is, terwyl werkseise oor die algemeen die belangrikste voorspellers is van beroepsgesondheidsprobleme. Die bevindinge van hierdie navorsingstudie het die belangrikheid van intervensies wat werkhulpbronne en persoonlike hulpbronne koester, beklemtoon in die strewe om werkbetrokkenheid te verbeter en uitbranding in die SA gasvryheidsbedryf te verminder.Master