A qualitative investigation of the occupational stress in the hospitality and tourism industry in Bahrain during COVID-19

Purpose. Workplace stress is a big challenge for employees and organizations. This research explores employees’ stressors working in Bahrain’s hospitality and tourism industry during the COVID-19 pandemic. Study design. First, a questionnaire was distributed to 172 employees, which helped to assess employees’ stress levels. Then 18 semi-directive interviews were conducted, and the data were analysed using qualitative content analysis. Following the usual content analysis method, an analysis grid was made by switching back and forth between the corpus and the definition of categories. Findings. The study’s results highlighted new occupational stressors: “the pandemic stressors” and their effects on Bahraini tourism and hospitality professionals. The COVID-19 pandemic stressors are more specific to the context of the health crisis, such as the intolerance of uncertainty, isolation and social distancing, the risk of contamination, and job security. Value of the results. The results of this paper revealed different stressors related to the job and stressors specific to the pandemic. The findings will help managers implement preventive measures to reduce the spread of infection, protect workers, and improve employees’ well-being in the context of the pandemic. The results can also help set up procedures to manage crises in the future.