RESULTS OF THE QUALITATIVE INVESTIGATION
4.2 Findings
4.2.4 The Factors Leading to Work Passion for Innovative Work Behavior
the business, as well as having an ownership spirit. The focus was more on the holistic view of all stakeholders, as shown in the following quotes.
Interviewee #1: I can work 24 hours and solve all related problems without any discouragement. I always bring new things or new concept to the hotel.
To see the growth of the hotel is my happiness.
Interviewee #31: Whenever I perform my function, the idea flows very well. I always finish my job at one time without a break. I am still fresh and happy even it takes longer hours. My intention is to see how the hotel can generate more revenue.
The entrepreneurial spirit of the employees was shown in how highly devoted they were to their duties and also in the empowerment they received from the owners or executives in solving all related problems. Work passion empowered them to perform in a certain way. Interviewee #17 said that his boss not only gives him an order, but she also gives some advice. She lets him take the ownership of his part and come up with a new the idea for it. Thus, he and his colleague enjoy thinking and contributing to the work and hotel.
4.2.4 The Factors Leading to Work Passion for Innovative Work
work behavior among executives and employees of the small hotel business?”, is described in Table 4.5.
Table 4.5 Factors Leading to Work Passion for Innovative Work Behavior
No Theme/Sub-theme Operational Definition
All Participants Executive Employee
Job Factors
1. Meaningful Work The perception of the importance of their job to themselves and others both inside and outside of the hotel.
18 3 15
2. Task Variety The perception of different jobs and different needs of customers that keep them motivated
3 1 2
3. Autonomy The feeling of empowerment to make decisions about their work and to be in control of their work
3 - 3
4. Feedback Receiving valuable information from the managers regarding the work.
3 - 3
Organizational Factors 5. Engagement in the
Organization
The positive attitude toward the organization with the determination to see the organization’s growth
14 2 12
6. Performance Expectations
The awareness of the standard level and goals to be attained
12 - 12
7. Development Program The perception of HRD activity that drive them to continue thinking/
creating
10 - 10
8. Collaboration The positive feeling toward
collaboration among team members without competitiveness
9 1 8
Table 4.5 (Continued)
No Theme/Sub-theme Operational Definition
All Participants Executive Employee
9. Organizational Strategy
The perception of the organization mission, strategy, and policy, including CSR activities that drive them to continue thinking/creating
7 2 5
Relationship Factor 10. Engagement with the
customer
The positive feeling toward customers and driving the effort for the best service
6 - 6
11. Connectedness with colleagues
The feeling of love, appreciation, and trust in their colleagues
5 - 5
12. Connectedness with leaders
The positive feeling toward the empowerment and being supportive of the leader, which leads to motivation in creating/developing
4 - 4
Individual Factor
13. Personality The perception of how the job matches their personality
13 5 8
Total 107 14 93
Out of 107 clauses referring to 1 out of 4 themes, 27 clauses were allocated to job factors, 52 clauses to organizational factors, 15 clauses to group factors, and 13 clauses to individual factor.
4.2.4.1 Meaningful Work
Meaningful work refers to the perception of the importance of their job to themselves and to others, both inside and outside the hotel. Responding to a theme that emerged from the data, this construct highlighted how the participants showed their love toward the job and received happiness in return when they satisfied their
guests. The management participants showed their inspiration in conducting the business and feeling of pride in running the business successfully. Eighteen out of forty participants found some meaning from the contribution of their time and effort with reference to their jobs, employees or guests, as for example the owner of Boutique R indicated in the following:
Interviewee #23: This business is my inspiration since I was young. To do this business, I also see how people learn and grow in their career. I am happy with them.
From the overall viewpoint of employee participants, meaningful work come from the guest satisfaction with their products and services, especially when they launch new product/service.
Interviewee #9: When I serve a new menu of drink and guest give me a compliment, it really energizes me to do more and more. I feel so proud.
The participants believed that their contribution toward the innovative product, service or process was worthwhile. The results from the interview showed consistency in the data, that the participants perceived meaningful work as important in pursuing their career.
4.2.4.2 Task Variety
Task variety refers to the perception of different jobs and different needs of customers keeping them motivated at creating, thinking, and solving all related tasks in order to serve their guests. Three out of forty participants mentioned the details of the job, which required different solutions to problems resulting from the various kinds of guests with various needs. Interviewee #8, an executive of Hostel N, revealed the following:
Interviewee #8: The details of job itself really challenge me such as to serve different needs of guests, reach the best solution for hotel or seek a new target group of guests.
Another participant also mentioned the condition of being a small-scale hotel, which consequently led her do more than one job. However, she had a chance to learn different kinds of jobs, which kept her motivated.
4.2.4.3 Autonomy
Autonomy means a feeling of empowerment in making decisions about their work and being in control of their work. In describing autonomy, the employee participants stated how excited they were, and proud and energized when they were in charge of the responsibility on behalf of their boss. Moreover, they also reported that the autonomy motivated them to continue thinking and creating a better standard of work, product, or service. Some of the participants also mentioned that the length of the service of the staff had an effect on the level of trustworthy from her boss. Three out of 40 participants, who were all staff members, stated that autonomy was one of the factors leading to their work passion. The following quote is an example.
Interviewee #7: My boss trusted me to handle with guests and other related issue on behalf of her while she was away from the hostel. I also feel so good when she accepted my idea and allowed to implement. I think it is because I was here with her since the beginning of business.
The participants knew the process of work well and performed their jobs with the expected standard. Autonomy allowed them to pursue their job beyond the limit so they had more passion to create and suggest ideas to their management.
4.2.4.4 Feedback
Feedback means receiving valuable information from the manager regarding their work. Three out of 40 participants, who were all staff members, tended to show persistent determination in creating or inventing a new product/service after they received valuable advice from the manager. Interestingly, the participants also mentioned that the small hotel business with fewer employees provided for the opportunity to work closely with the owner, which consequently led to sharing and learning from each other. The following quote is an example that is quite similar to the ideas of the other two interviewees.
Interviewee #17: My boss is not a kind of commander. She always motivated us to think and give some advice when needed so we have a clear direction in our mission.
The feedback factor helped enable individuals to receive adequate comments on how they performed so the employees had the right direction to focus on creating/thinking something new for the hotels.
4.2.4.5 Engagement in the Organization
Engagement in the organization refers to a positive attitude toward the organization with the determination to see the organization’s growth. Fourteen out of 40 participants stated the strong determination to see the growth of their hotel as a factor to drive their work passion. Interestingly, individual passionate participants from the group of employees in this study looked beyond their career advancement.
They took a holistic view of the growth, reputation, and revenue of the hotel and considered how they could contribute their effort and time for the success of the organization. However, they believed that the growth of the hotel meant the security and advancement of their career eventually. The following statements are similar to the other participants’ ideas.
Interviewee #21: I feel engage with my job and hotel. If I do my job well, the hotel will be successful. That’s why I try to improve my service in order to have a return guest. I want to see my hotel good or even better than other hotels.
Interviewee #30: I would like to see the hotel’s growth. I tried to see any opportunities to increase the numbers of visiting guests.
Obviously, the participants showed how they loved their organization, including their colleagues and boss. They were willing to help or do anything to increase the business opportunity of the hotel.
4.2.4.6 Performance Expectations
Performance expectations mean the awareness of the standard level and goals to be attained. Twelve out of 40 participants only in the group of employees
revealed their determination to improve, adjust, and develop their job in order to reach the standard or to go beyond the expectations of guests. To strive to attain their goals, they were willing to leverage their competence into significant work effort. This factor of work passion empowered them to act in a certain way that was a benefit to themselves and to the hotel, as shown in the following statement.
Interviewee #24: I always put myself in a role of a host who served an impressive service to all guests. Since they chose us as the destination for their valuable vacation, we must do our best to serve them.
Moreover, some of the participants stated the linkage of the standard of their performance to the growth of their hotel.
Interviewee #15: I look forward to see the growth of hotel which motivated me to concern more on the efficiency of the process of work or how to set the systematic flow of tasks.
The employee participants understood what was expected of them.
Their performance reached to an agreed-upon standard or even beyond since they had a positive attitude toward their service job.
4.2.4.7 Development Program
Development program refers to the perception of how the knowledge, skills, and experience gained from HRD activities drove them to continue thinking/creating. Ten out of 40 participants revealed their great experiences from field trips, training and development programs, which broadened their ideas and points of view in conducting the hotel business. They mentioned that what they had learnt from other hotels during the field trips motivated them to create a distinguished product/service, as for example a marketing staff member from Boutique Se mentioned in the following:
Interviewee #35: Joining field trip to visit other hotels and some hotel fairs really opened my view. I found the new trends and life style of guests as well as sharing ideas with other hotels’ marketers. At that time when I came back, I started improving the channel of communication with my guests.
Some of the participants showed appreciation for learning from visiting trainers from outside who were invited by the owner. Besides learning new concepts, they also learned the practice of other hotels and strengthened the relationship among the staff members, as Interviewee #38, a staff member from Boutique Si, stated in the following:
Interviewee #38: The hotel has ever provided training program of food/product knowledge to all food and beverage staff. It really inspired me to continue thinking about a new menu of mocktail. Finally, I came up with a local mango smoothie น ้ามะม่วงเบาปั่น. I think we are the first one offering.
The participants not only gained valuable knowledge, skills, and experience from the development program but also a good relationship among the employees in the hotel.
4.2.4.8 Collaboration
Collaboration refers to the positive feeling toward the cooperation among the team members without competition. To describe collaboration, the participants showed the feeling of love, appreciation, and how much they cared about their team. Nine out of 40 participants found an environment where their colleagues and leaders expressed appreciation for each other’s ideas and supported each other in their projects and work. Moreover, the leaders encouraged participation and the sharing of new ideas/suggestions from all staff members. The following quote expresses an idea that is similar to that expressed by the others.
Interviewee #13: This hotel is a big family where everyone shares a positive energy. If there is a problem, we try to find how to solve instead of finding who did it. I feel like we are running together whenever someone fail down, the rest of us will pull him/her back.
From another point of view, participants also indicated their happiness working in an atmosphere without competition. The collaboration helped to create an environment that was motivating and that inspired them to work together successfully.
4.2.4.9 Organizational Strategy
Organizational strategy refers to the perception of the organization’s mission, strategy, and policy, including the CSR activities that drove them to continue thinking/creating. Seven out of 40 participants revealed their concern about the achieving the organization’s mission or the strategy of the hotel. The participants tended to have a clear picture of the business direction, which energized them to keep thinking and creating, as shown in the following statement from an executive of Boutique L.
Interviewee #16: Our hotel is an innovative organization and our mission is quite clear for everyone. We can’t stop creating an innovation for the hotel.
We have to be a market leader.
Moreover, some employee participants mentioned how the CSR activities motivated them to have more work passion in performing their job innovatively. They showed appreciation when the owner took them to make a merit for the children at the local schools, as expressed in the following:
Interviewee #31: I love when the owner joined the CSR activity with other hotels in mid night run activity for children at school. I have less chance to do it by myself.
The organizational strategy helped to clarify the clear picture of what the hotel wanted to achieve so the participants perceived what was expected and performed as expected.
4.2.4.10 Engagement with the Customer
Engagement with the customer refers to a positive feeling toward the customer and driving the effort for the motivation in creating/developing regarding their jobs. Six out of 40 participants revealed a strong relationship with their guests.
The desire to impress and take care of their guests was clearly seen in most participants since the guests chose the hotel as a destination for their pleasure vacation. Some participants mentioned a good connection with repeating guests, which consequently became a good friendship between the hotel and the guests, as shown in the example below.
Interviewee #19: Guests are the factor leading to my passion. I don’t know, umm. I just have to make sure that they are impressed and happy with our service and all meals because they chose us as their destination. I can do anything at all to please them.
Moreover, the recognition from the guests definitely led the participants to have more work passion for creating and developing better service. So those relationships between the external stakeholders and the participants drove their work passion.
4.2.4.11 Connectedness to Colleagues
The participants revealed a feeling of love, appreciation, and trust in their colleagues. The small hotel business with a particular size of staff supported them to have a close relationship. Five out of 40 participants learnt to share ideas and to support each other as well as treat others as a family member. Some of them felt engaged with their colleagues since they had stayed with the hotel for a long time.
Moreover, they were also rewarded by the interpersonal interaction with their colleagues, as stated in the following by a staff member at Hostel N.
Interviewee #9: My colleagues and my boss are very good. We all made one another happy to work here together. This drove me to think and create more for the growth of business.
It can be clearly seen how they trusted their colleagues and were highly motivated to work together as a team. This inspired them to contribute more to the hotel.
4.2.4.12 Connectedness to the Leader
The participants revealed their positive feeling toward the internal stakeholder, that is, their leader. Four out of 40 participants showed appreciation for the supportive and good personal relationship with their leader. Since the business was quite small scale, they worked as a team with the leader. They also mentioned the good environment where they trusted their leader and where the leader made an effort to form an interpersonal connection with them, as shown the following quote.
Interviewee #15: My leader is a good person. He understands every single employee and admit the strength and limitation of ours. We work together as a team with a supportive from my leader especially when we try to launch new project.
Moreover, the participative style of the leader motivated them to have more passion in creating/improving their jobs.
4.2.4.13 Personality
Personality referred to the perception of how the job matches their personality, leading to work passion. Responding to a theme that emerged from the data, this construct highlighted how the participants showed their interest in the service job that matched their personality. Thirteen out of 40 participants felt motivated to try new things to serve their guests, to handle the guests’ complaints, or search for a new method of work. The participants experienced a flow during their engagement activities, which they described as an enjoyable moment, as seen in the statements following.
Interviewee #1: I love to challenge myself and this is the reason why I enjoy the variety of task in service job because I love to unleash my potential and test whether I can accomplish or not. This challenging job really drives me to continue thinking.
Interviewee #14: I am a kind of outgoing person. I like to meet and talk with others which is beneficial me to do the service job. This turned to be my motivation in creating a distinguish service to my guests.
Most of the participants felt relaxed and happy with their job because it matched their personality. Thus, they had the energy to move forward in developing innovation in their work.