{"title":"COVID-19 and employee-customer relationship: hotel frontline employee perceptions","authors":"Musawenkosi Mildred Tapfuma, Regis Musavengane","doi":"10.1080/15332845.2022.2015231","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"Abstract The COVID-19 (coronavirus) induced fear has gripped both tourism service providers and tourists. This study seeks to explore hotel frontline perception of the impact of COVID-19 on customer relationship. Heider’s balance theory was used to explore the relationship between the hotel frontline employees and the customers during the COVID-19 pandemic. It further determines the level of social trust in the theater of service provision. Using Zimbabwe 3–5 star rated hotels frontline employees as a case study, the study reveals the imbalanced relations between the hotel frontline staff and the customers due to COVID-19 Pandemic. Fear appears to be the greatest factor affecting the relationship between hotel employees and customers. Mistrust between the host and guest affects the relationship between the employee and customer.","PeriodicalId":35371,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Human Resources in Hospitality and Tourism","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0000,"publicationDate":"2021-12-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"5","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Journal of Human Resources in Hospitality and Tourism","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1080/15332845.2022.2015231","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"Business, Management and Accounting","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 5
Abstract
Abstract The COVID-19 (coronavirus) induced fear has gripped both tourism service providers and tourists. This study seeks to explore hotel frontline perception of the impact of COVID-19 on customer relationship. Heider’s balance theory was used to explore the relationship between the hotel frontline employees and the customers during the COVID-19 pandemic. It further determines the level of social trust in the theater of service provision. Using Zimbabwe 3–5 star rated hotels frontline employees as a case study, the study reveals the imbalanced relations between the hotel frontline staff and the customers due to COVID-19 Pandemic. Fear appears to be the greatest factor affecting the relationship between hotel employees and customers. Mistrust between the host and guest affects the relationship between the employee and customer.
期刊介绍:
The Journal of Human Resources in Hospitality & Tourism encompasses the vast and diversified research on issues impacting human resources in the hospitality and tourism industry. It strives to be the preeminent forum for the dissemination of key academic and industry research and encourages research from both industry experts as well as academic experts. The Journal also examines the latest issues and trends in education as it related to human resources theory and practice. In addition to reporting on the best practices in the hospitality industry, the refereed Journal of Human Resources in Hospitality & Tourism covers such relevant topics as: -Turnover-related issues in the hospitality industry- Workplace violence- Employee attitude surveys- Well-being- Departmental conflict issues- Career paths among managers- Drug and alcohol abuse- The labor shortage in the hospitality industry- Employee empowerment- Education and training- Employee incentive programs- Recruitment and retention- Workforce diversity- Employee engagement