Abstract
The hospitality industry is a fast-paced and demanding sector worldwide and plays an essential role in South Africa’s economy. The challenges frontline hotel employees commonly face are demanding long working hours, low wages, an unsafe working environment, and little to no rest, leading to poor decent work conditions. In addition, the star rating of a hotel can influence the quality of decent work conditions experienced by employees.
This study examined the experiences of frontline hotel employees in South Africa to understand their experience of decent work as prescribed by the International Labour Organisation (ILO). This looked at the five key aspects of decent work, such as working hours, leave and rest time, physical and interpersonal safety, fair compensation, alignment of personal and organisational values, and access to healthcare.
This study used a qualitative research methodology to conduct interviews to gather the lived experiences of frontline hotel employees. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 participants working in various frontline hotel operations, such as housekeeping and reception. The data were analysed thematically to find patterns and themes that were consistent across all the participants’ responses. The main themes identified were adequate leave, working hours, leave days, rest and lunch breaks, workplace and interpersonal safety, fair compensation, personal and organisational value alignment, and healthcare access.
Participants reported being satisfied with their working hours and sense of alignment of their personal values with the organisation’s values. The study differed from existing research regarding workplace safety, as most participants reported that their organisation protects them physically from any harm by providing security and safety training. These positive experiences demonstrated some congruence with the ILO goals.
However, some participants reported their dissatisfaction with their interpersonal safety, compensation, and access to healthcare. These findings suggest that not all aspects of decent work were being met for frontline hotel employees. Hospitality is a 24/7 industry, which makes it difficult for hotels to balance operational demands with frontline hotel employees’ well-being. This study demonstrated that frontline hotel employees view decent work as important for their job satisfaction and motivation. This qualitative study added to the field of Industrial and Organisational Psychology, as it provided insights into frontline hotel employees’ experiences of decent work in South Africa.