Splendid Service Next Year Too?! Seasonal employees’ job satisfaction, intention to return and do more than expected

Abstract

The tourism industry is forecasted to grow and as seasonal employment is common in this industry it is likely to increase concurrently. Having motivated and satisfied employees are fundamental in all organizations and especially in the service industry where front-line employees play a key role for the customers’ perceived service quality. Seasonal work differs from permanent employment in many aspects; hence the human resource management applied should be adjusted accordingly. If seasonal employees are managed properly, this could be a competitive advantage and contribute to the success of an organization. The study focuses on the relationships between certain motivational factors and job satisfaction and the relationship between job satisfaction and seasonal employees’ intention to return and doing more than expected at work. This study had a quantitative approach and a questionnaire was carried out at four ski resorts with 476 respondents. Correlation and regression analyses were made and it was found that certain motivational factors are related to job satisfaction. Job satisfaction influences the intention to return but did not have a strong influence on organizational citizenship behavior (i.e., doing more than expected at work). The result provides further understanding as regards seasonal workers’ motivation and behavior. The study also presents recommendations for managerial use.