LAICO REGENCY HOTEL C…

Anthony,Bruno,Joe,Fausta.
LAICO REGENCY HOTEL
Factors influencing understaffing in Laico Regency Hotel in
Nairobi, Kenya

1.0 Overview

Understaffing is a situation in which an organization does not have

enough employees to do its work properly. We tend to see in the
hospitality there is a major issue when it comes to understaffing.
When the employees are not enough in any organization the
services tend to be poor. There are various reasons that can lead to
understaffing in a hotel or in any organization. This research paper
will guide us through in understanding the reasons and ways of
mitigating the issue in Laico Regency Hotel which is only
15minutes from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. The Hotel is
within walking distance of Nairobi's Business and Shopping area
and a short distance from the Nairobi National Park and other
attractions.

1.2 Background of the Study

According to James Baxter (2020) he says,” The hospitality

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 staff accepting other jobs.” He later says the uncomfortable truth is
this: hospitality businesses can’t hire fast enough to avoid turnover
and understaffing. The solution to this industry wide pain point is
completely rethinking how to staff and leaning into the new, tech-
driven resources.

Globally understaffing of staff in Hospitality has been a major issue

the turnover rate for hourly employees is at an all-time high.
According to industry researcher TDn2K, the turnover rate and
understaffing in 2017 was 146.2%. The stress of high turnover and
understaffing not only burns out the existing team but can also
stretch the roster too thin, eventually affecting customer experience.
In an inherently competitive (and digital) landscape, a customer will
either find somewhere else to go or share their experience online. In
just one year, this could add up to tens of thousands of dollars in
lost revenue.

According to an article that was written by Ciku Kimeria on Africa

tourism industry is now the second fastest industry she says
some 67 million tourists visited Africa in 2018, representing a rise
of 7% from a year earlier, making Africa the second-fastest growing
region when it comes to tourism, after Asia Pacific. When the
tourism industry flourishes in Africa it means even the hotels in
Africa tend to grow African countries are now reaping the benefits
from positive policy changes coupled with increased investments in
the sector, that have made it a more attractive destination for
tourists. In Africa the hotel industry goes through a lot of challenges
one of them being understaffing, According to an article “Africa’s
hotel industry is booming but only in a small number of
markets” It states the African hotel sector faces challenges that
keep undermining its true potential. Delays in approvals, access to
finance, high construction costs, and severe power problems
hamper the kickstarting of some of these projects. The sector is still
dominated by upscale hotels, too, pushing the average daily rates to
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 $107, a fee that could hamper the burgeoning domestic tourism
boosted by a growing middle class.

Laico Regency Hotel in Nairobi, Kenya where the research was

done, it was concluded that the hotel tends to face a major challenge
on understaffing it was indicated by a student who was invited by
the staff members of Laico Regency(where a member of the group
did his internship) for their end of year staff party on 18th January
2020, he could not help but notice that they were not given the
pleasant welcome accordingly. Some of the faults noticed; the
hostess allocated to them was not acting in a professional manner, a
smile goes a long way in welcoming guests and it also promotes a
sense of belonging to the guest, she lacked knowledge of the
facility and also of the products that had been put on the display
table that by not sure of the directions to the event. That was the
first disappointment that I had seen.

The second issue was during service, that at the bar there was actual
theft going on for it was an open bar event and the management of
the hotel had bought various types of beverages that would cater for
the population of the hotel that happens to be off 600 people. He
actually got to see the beverage list and on it there was Famous
Grouse and Absolute Vodka and during the actual service of the
drinks I did not see the drinks being served and it happened to be a
concern for some of the hotel employees got to notice that not all the
drinks were served and the issue was forwarded to the management
of the hotel

The scenario was very clear that there was shortage of employees
and that understaffing was one of the problems affecting the hotel
and that would provide a risk to the hotel itself and also to the
employees. Understaffing also influences the behavior of the
employees within the firm and in this case, it will affect them
negatively which will force them to steal during events.

1.3 Statement of the research problem.

Globally according to Forbes Travel Guide’s CEO, Filip Boyen, out

of the 900 standards checklist items used to evaluate luxury
properties, 75% of them are based on service. And who is
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 properties, 75% of them are based on service. And who is
responsible for delivering exemplary service? Every single hotel
employee from the dishwasher to the CEO has an important role to
play in guest retention even if they never actually meet a guest.
This is why it’s so critical that hotels invest in the right talent for
every position in their organizations - people who have the
“hospitality gene” and an innate desire to serve. Unfortunately, the
industry isn’t attracting the talent it needs thus leading to the issues
of understaffing in the hotels. In fact, it’s not attracting many
people at all. In 2019 Annual Global CEO Survey, 63% of
Hospitality and Leisure (H&L) CEOs said that difficulty in hiring
employees wasn’t just because of a skillset shortage, but also due to
the “industry’s reputation” and “working conditions.

In Kenya, the hospitality sector alone catered for over 509,000 jobs
in 2007, a ten percent of total employment, or 1 in every 10.7 jobs.
By 2017, it is estimated that, there will be 628 000 jobs (WTTC,
2006). In Kenya, little research has been conducted regarding
labour turnover and understaffing in the hospitality industry. Kenya
(ILO, 2001) indicated similar trends of labour turnover with lodges
on the lead with 60% in 2000. It was found that, employees were
more willing to move to town hotels where social amenities are in
plenty than in lodges where employees are secluded to their camps.
This impacted negatively in business sustainability due to high costs
of training new employees, replacement and separation for the
departing employees. In addition, are the detrimental effects of
customer dissatisfactions.

1.4 The Purpose of the study

The general objective was to analyze factors influencing

understaffing in Laico Regency Hotel in Nairobi, Kenya.

1.5 Research objectives

To explore social factors leading to understaffing in Laico

Regency Hotel in Nairobi, Kenya
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 To explore Social-cultural factors leading to understaffing
in Laico Regency Hotel in Nairobi, Kenya
To find solutions that are going to mitigate understaffing in
Laico Regency Hotel in Nairobi, Kenya
0.6 Research Questions

What are the social factors leading to understaffing in Laico

Regency Hotel in Nairobi, Kenya?

What are the Social-cultural factors leading to understaffing in

Laico Regency Hotel in Nairobi, Kenya?

What solutions are going to mitigate understaffing in Laico

Regency Hotel in Nairobi, Kenya?

0.7 Significance of the Study

This study will benefit academicians who may want to conduct

studies relating Factors influencing understaffing in the hotel
Industry

This study will help people have more information on what

understaffing in any organization can lead to especially the hotel
industry

The findings will also provide information to the non -

governmental organization and any other stakeholders that invest in
the hotel industry to come up with polices that will the managers,
CEO’s and the employees

The findings of this study will also provide useful information

to the Ministry of Tourism (MOT) to create more employment
opportunities for people who have experience in the industry.

0.8 Limitation of the Study

Some of the respondents were reluctant in giving information due to

the organization’s policy on confidentiality. Some respondents also
failed to return the questionnaires. However, the researcher tried to
mitigate this by assuring the respondents of confidentiality.

Financial constraints; the study involved incurring costs which were

necessary for the effective completion of the study.
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 necessary for the effective completion of the study.

The other limitation of the study is that some questionnaires were

partially filled and others erroneously filled. The researcher
attempted to mitigate this problem by administering the
questionnaires together with focused group discussed so as to gather
more information that was used to fill the gaps.

0.9 Theoretical Framework

Herzberg’s Motivation-Hygiene Theory

This theory is followed by two turnover models which also deeply

explains the reasons the hotel industry experience the issue of
understaffing: The Price and Mueller 1981 and 1986 Turnover or
understaffing Models (Price and Mueller, 1977, 1981 & 1986) and
Modified Greenhaus, Collins, Sing, and Parasuraman’s Model of
Voluntary Turnover (Greenhaus, Collins, Sing, and Parasuraman,
1997). These models and theory were selected to enhance our
understanding the factors influencing understaffing in Laico
Regency Hotel in Nairobi, Kenya. Herzberg’s motivation-hygiene
theory accounts for the relationships among employees’ job
satisfaction and job dissatisfaction in the environment where the
employee performs the work. Herzberg et al. (1959) collected data
from interviews with 200 engineers and accountants to understand
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 motivating factors that related to employee’s satisfaction or
dissatisfaction with their employment. Motivation factors are those
that can affect employees’ job attitudes to be more positive because
employees’ self-actualization needs are satisfied.

According to the Price and Mueller (1981) model, repetitive work

reduces satisfaction. However, workers are more likely to be
satisfied with their work when they are participating in job-related
decisions, receiving work-related information, forming close
friendships with others at work, earning reasonable and fair
compensation, and enjoying opportunities for promotion (Price &
Mueller, 1981). Price and Mueller proposed that the
availability of alternative job opportunities moderate the
relationship between job satisfaction and turnover. Addressing the
problem of small statistically significant correlations in their
studies that necessitated future studies to focus on additional
variables and measurement considerations, Price and Mueller
(1986) revised and updated the model in 1986, to include the
concept of role overload as antecedents to satisfaction. They
found that workgroups and size of the organization, as
precursors of organizational commitment, added to the employees’
intention to leave. They also introduced the commitment to the
organization as a mediator between job satisfaction and intention
to leave. Price and Mueller’s updated model included many of the
earlier retention factors as well as several additional ones.

The Greenhaus, Collins, Singh, and Parasuraman (1997) model

of voluntary turnover allowed researchers to study turnover in
professional accounting firms. Greenhaus et al., (1997) posited that
apart from working long hours, particularly during certain busy
periods, professional accountants and banking professionals alike
must progress through several positions before reaching the
partnership level, occupying positions of increasing responsibility
along the way. The modified model of voluntary turnover
includes four sets of potential influences on the turnover
process: (a) work experiences (work overload, career
development opportunities, advancement aspirations, and
advancement expectations), (b) family responsibilities, (c) work-
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 advancement expectations), (b) family responsibilities, (c) work-
home conflict, and (d) stress. According to Greenhaus et al.,
(1997), work overload was a predictor of intention to leave and
actual departure. The lack of career development opportunity may
cause an employee to decide to leave and that a strong desire for
promotions sustained interest to remain in the organization,
potentially reflecting increased levels of commitment. Likewise,
optimistic advancement expectations decrease the likelihood of
leaving an organization

or profession.

1.11 Conceptual Framework

This conceptual framework entails both independent and

dependent variable.

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 1.12 Operational definition of term
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Chapter 2

2.1 Introduction

Literature review is the referencing of work that has already been

studied by scholars and is used by young scholars in their projects
to make it more relevant and interesting. Literature review entails
the articles and important information that the scholar has written
down and also any sources on which the research has been
undertaken.
Understaffing
The hospitality industry’s problem with recruitment, retention, and
therefore under-staffing, is well documented and well recognized
(e.g. Baum, 2002; Brien, 2004; Choi et al., 2000; Gustafson, 2002;
Jameson, 2000), as is its impact. Ulrich et al. (1991) found high
employee turnover negatively affected customer satisfaction, and
Simons and Hinkin (2001) found it negatively affected profitability.
In an Auckland study, Lo and Lamm (2005) concluded that
although occupational stress caused understaffing, high turnover
could not be solely attributed to stress. They referred to Hinkin and
Tracey’s (2000) study of turnover or understaffing, in which job
dissatisfaction, poor quality supervision and poor employment
conditions were cited as major causes. Other studies suggest causes
such as inadequate human resources support (Taylor et al., 2001),
age (i.e. youth) and job dissatisfaction related to pay, long hours,
and boring work (Ghiselli et al., 2001), sexual harassment (Gilbert
et al., 1998), poor training (Lashley and Best, 2002), and the social
stigma of working in hospitality (Wildes, 2005).
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 Social factors that lead to understaffing

Age

In a study that was done on issues of staff turn over in hotel

industry their findings concluded that age can lead to understaffing
in hotel industry the conclusions indicated that majority (41
percent) of the respondents; both male and female were in the age
bracket of 25 to 30 years followed by 31 percent in the age bracket
of between 31 – 40 years. The figure also shows that 23 percent of
the respondents were less than 25 years old and only five percent
were over 40 years old. According to Lucas (1995) and the ILO
report (2001), young people in their first employments have greater
expectations from the current jobs and whenever such expectations
are not realized within a period of less than six months, they resign
to look for better opportunities

Poor Training

Poor training is a major issue fro understaffing in hotels, Although

most hospitality organizations train employees to behave
appropriately with customers (Gilbert et al., 1998), the industry has
a poor reputation for training (Maxwell et al., 2004; Pratten, 2003),
although this is not well supported empirically. Managers may be
reluctant to invest in training in case staff subsequently leave
(Davies et al., 2001; Jameson, 2000; Loe et al., 2000; Lowry et al.,
2002), or because their time is already fully occupied with
recruitment and selection. Performing a task publicly with
insufficient skill jeopardizes service quality, and can demean and
embarrass employees, yet anecdotal evidence overwhelmingly
suggests training is poor, and employees are disciplined for their
inability to perform. Training and development affect job
satisfaction and organizational commitment (Lam and Zhang, 2003;
Lowry et al., 2002; Pratten, 2003; Smith, 2002; Taylor et al., 2001),
which in turn affect staff retention. Hotels that provide inadequate
training exacerbate staff turnover (Lashley and Best, 2002), and
threaten quality standards and profit.
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 Leadership.

It is fairly likely that employees will not stay in their jobs due to the
lack of support from managers (Mobley, 1977). Many researchers
are of the view that poor supervision is one of the leading factors of
employee turnover and, hence, it is vital for an organization to
coach its managers in order to improve their organizational and
leadership skills (Porter and Steers, 1973). It comes to appear that
employees do not have to be friends with their boss, but they need
to have a good relationship with their respective boss. However, one
argument put forward by management experts is that boss needs to
provide direction and feedback, spend time in one-to-one meetings,
and work with them cooperatively. HR managers often develop new
ideas to improve employee retention, but HR experts believe that
one of the most important retention tools is being a leader instead of
a manager, so they suggest that a manager needs to push towards
the potential of employees and appreciate them in terms of their
performance. It would be also a responsibility of an effective leader
to take care genuinely about their concerns and provide tools for
personal and professional development (Guion and Gottier, 1965).
An employee reports to undermine the employee’s engagement,
confidence, and commitment to have a toxic relationship with the
individual. A bad boss is one of the reasons why employees quit
their job. A good illustration for this is that boss keeps update
information that employees need to succeed. He or she cannot
perform his job or accomplish his goals without their help. So,
manager shares a critical interdependence with employees. If
manager rarely supports them to complete the tasks successfully,
they cannot perform well in their assigned responsibilities. In fact,
employees will not progress without the information, perspective,
experience, and support of manager (Maertz and Griffeth, 2004).
Based on a recent study, it can be argued that the direct and indirect
effect of managerial support on turnover cognition represent
inconsistency of the reason of manager on turnover intention
(Campbell and Allen, 2007)
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 (Campbell and Allen, 2007)

Level of Education

The level of education in any industry especially the hotel industry

really affects the issue of employment and we tend to see in a recent
study that was conducted on “factors influencing labour turnover
in three and five star-rated hotels In Nairobi, Kenya “established
that, only 10 percent were degrees holders and only 5 percent had
post graduate qualifications. This is in congruence with the study by
Riley (1996), that about two thirds or 64 percent of jobs in the
hotels, restaurants and catering sector are either unskilled or
semiskilled. According to Baum (1996) and Wood (1997), jobs in
the hospitality industry are regarded as low status jobs with low
payments and poor working conditions. Wood (1997) further
attributes to the traditional importance and irreplaceable role of
personal service found in the hospitality and tourism industry rather
than the formal training the person have.

Employee theft and Security

This represents a major loss to many organizations especially the

hotel industry which leads to understaffing, and is estimated to cost
$200 billion annually in America (Niehoff and Paul, 2000). In New
Zealand, the cost of employee theft in retail outlets was estimated at
around $270 million annually (Guthrie, 2003), in a study
comprising more liquor shops than any other type of outlet.
Although quantitative data on theft in hospitality is elusive, writers
agree that theft is common (Divine, 1992; Johnson, 1983; Mars and
Nicod, 1984; Stevens and Fleckenstein, 1999; Wanhill, 1994), and
various causes such as poor pay and the use of student and youth
labour have been suggested. Employee theft affects prices, profits
and wages (Pankratz, 2000; Wanhill, 1994), contributing to the tight
operating margins that can constrain training and staff development.
Thoms et al. (2001) and Withiam (1996) found that theft was
associated with staff turnover, and Mohsin (2006), with poor control
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 associated with staff turnover, and Mohsin (2006), with poor control
mechanisms.

Social-Cultural Factors leading to understaffing

In today’s society, the general population understands that cultural

backgrounds have a significant impact on how customers describe
their service experiences at hotels. These cultural influences usually
translate to different expectations causing discrepancies in the
experiences they encounter. With globalization in full speed and
people continually traveling abroad to and from different countries,
the hotel industry faces many challenges in accommodating these
different cultural influences.

Organizational culture.

A well-developed organizational culture is one of the factors that

influence the employees to stay put in the organization. If
employees are not being contented with the culture, work
environment, organizational structure, the probability is that they
will quit the job (Mowday et al., 1982). It is often said that
organizations are able to attract and motivate employees by
practicing the best organizational culture. Thus, it may lead them to
continue work in the organizations.

In order to remain competitive in a globalized hotel industry, it is

critical to develop services that are able to satisfy a very diverse
customer base. Culture is one of the most effective yet complicated
elements that hotel operators need to understand in order to provide
great services in accordance with the customers’ needs (Ueltschy,
Laroche, Eggert, & Bindl, 2007). Hofstede (1994) defined culture
as the unique behaviors and attitudes of a certain group of people
that help distinguish one group from another. The social normality
of one culture is not the same in another culture. Ueltschy et al.
(2007) stated that it is important for service providing companies
such as hotels to realize that customer preferences are not identical
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 such as hotels to realize that customer preferences are not identical
all around the world. Therefore, it is important for service providers
to identify the critical factors of customer preferences and
incorporate these discoveries into the services they offer to satisfy
their culturally diverse group of customers more effectively. Culture
is deeply integrated into everyone’s day-today lives and the
decisions one makes are heavily influenced by the culture that one
is brought up in. Moreover, culture not only influences behaviors of
people, but also affects the rationalization process of the behavior
(Patterson & Mattila, 2008). Therefore, the uniqueness of each
culture influences the development of people’s perception of service
quality.

Language Barrier

This is another social cultural issue that can lead to understaffing in

hotels, the growth of the country’s hospitality has been hampered by

lack of language proficiency. A study released late last year

revealed that most Rwandans working in the hospitality industry are

unable to effectively communicate in requisite foreign languages

which leads to bad customer service. The survey also found out that
aviation sub sector was relying on the services of foreigners to plug

the gap.

The study said 451 of individuals interviewed in the sub sector

lacked proficiency in the major foreign languages, while 157 are

expatriates. The survey found that the subsector needed about 608
personnel fluent in foreign languages. Out of 81 air traffic

controllers employed in the sub sector, 65 are expatriates while 12

employed in air safety department, five are expatriates
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 Other reasons for understaffing

Stressed employees Piling on the workload will not only decrease

the quality of work, but it also puts an extreme amount of pressure
on employees. Many may become overwhelmed with this extra
work, struggling to get it all finished on time and due to this
become stressed. Stress can lead to numerous mental health issues,
which may force employees to take numerous days off to recover.
Whilst these employees are off you will be left with even fewer
staff to cover your business, meaning even more work for the few
employees left, causing them to become stressed and them taking
more time off. A cycle that can be extremely hard to get out of.
Brand damage can come from poor customer service, which can
derive from the smallest of factors. For example, customers waiting
on the phone for an extended period, not being able to find someone
in the store to help them or no one to assist them in live chat when
on your website.
Reviews on blogs can make or break a hotel’s reputation thus
leading to understaffing.
Anyone can write a review and post it on a blog or share it on social
media. People who stay at hotels will take photos and write up an
honest post about their experience. This is a good and bad thing for
the hotel industry. Hotel owners who are confident that their hotels
are worthy will pay social media influencers to write about it.
Hopefully, this will grab attention and the hotel chain will gain new
customers. However, it only takes one scathing review to destroy a
reputation.

Solutions to mitigate understaffing in Laico Regency Hotel in

Nairobi, Kenya

Training and development.

Management should initiate to create an environment, where key

information has been freely communicated. Employees have the
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 information has been freely communicated. Employees have the
opportunities to be well-informed and insightful for further career
development, as well as variety form of training program will
rationally be foremost to an organization. Therefore, this will result
in retaining the employees and have a positive impact on
organizational productivity (Singh, 2008).

Identifying the economic problem.

Generally, employees are most likely to generate the turnover

intention due to a variety of economic reasons (Steers and Mowday,
1981). If we provide evidence, Ford’s car plants have experienced a
significant number of employee’s turnover frequently reaching rates
as high as 300 to 400 percent per year. When the company enables
to realize and identify the problem, a decision has approved to
increase the basic wages doubled from 2.50 dollars to 5.00 dollars
per day and, by doing so, the rate of labor turnover has radically
reduced (Muchinsky and Tuttle, 1979).

Job satisfaction.

The job content and autonomy are the two major job-related
motivational factors that lead to an increase of employees job
satisfaction. Once employees realize that they are authorized to take
part in the decision-making process, they could be motivated and
desire to do their best for the organization. Shahzad et al. (2008)
state that “Turnover studies primarily have established that
satisfaction with supervision promotes job retention without
necessarily identifying specific behaviors by supervisors that
commit employees to the company”. Experts have identified some
factors that are likely to make employees satisfied at work such as
good pay, friendly working environment, cooperative colleagues,
career counseling and opportunities for training and development
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 career counseling and opportunities for training and development
(Sherman and Snell, 1998). It is also noted that “employees desire
managers who realize and treat them fairly” (Dailey and Kirk,
1992). Unless managers are fair, logical and caring to their
employees, it is fairly likely that they will not be happy about their
jobs.

Balancing work and family life.

There can be avoided various retention problems if the organization

finds a solution to help employees to effectively control their
commitment at home and at work (Tser Yieth et al., 2004). It is also
probable that parents are supposed to take responsibilities, while
this comes up to the caring for the family. If we take an example,
parents may help to bring back children from school. The study also
suggests that flexible working hour can lead to deal with a better
work-life balance and, by doing so, can counteract job stress
(Boxall and Purcell, 2003). Hence, managers should be provided
the flexible working hour opportunities for their employees.
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 CHAPTER THREE
METHODOLOGY

Research Sampling Techniques.

Sampling is a process used in statistical analysis in which a

predetermined number of observations are taken from a larger
population. it’s possible to use sampling techniques to select a
smaller group or sample from the population that will represent the
whole population.

Quantitative research is a research strategy that focuses on

quantifying the collection and analysis of data. It is formed from a
deductive approach where emphasis is placed on the testing of
theory, shaped by empiricist and positivist philosophies.

Research design

A research design is a plan or campus that show direction, the

proposal will use the quantitative and qualitative research, where by
quantitative research uses numerical, data, hypothesis, percentage
and frequencies to analyze data while qualitative research uses
human behavior (why people do certain things) (Kothari; 2003).

The design is relevant because it specifies the sources and type of

information relevant to research problem which is understaffing of
employees in the hotel. It is also a strategy specifying which
method will be used for gathering and analyzing the data. This
design also includes the time and cost budget.
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 3.4 Data collection method and tools.

Data collection is a process of collecting information from all the

relevant sources to find answers to the research problem, test the
hypothesis and evaluate the outcomes. Data collection
methods can be divided into two categories which are the
secondary methods of data collection and primary methods of
data collection.

Tools for collecting data

The questionnaire

It is a very important tool in collecting data which was invented by

Sir Francis Galton. A questionnaire is a research instrument
consisting of a series of questions and other prompts for the purpose
of gathering information from respondents. Although they are often
designed for statistical analysis of the responses, this is not always
the case.

Focus Group Discussion

This a tool that is efficient in collecting data in any research, it is

frequently used as a qualitative approach to gain an in‐depth
understanding of social issues. The method aims to obtain data from
a purposely selected group of individuals rather than from a
statistically representative sample of a broader population.

Key Informants Interviews

These are qualitative in-depth interviews with people who know

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 These are qualitative in-depth interviews with people who know
what is going on in the hotel. The purpose of key informant
interviews is to collect information from a wide range of people
including Managers, The CEO, and the employees who have first -
hand knowledge or information about the hotel.

Target population

A target population is the entire group of individuals that meet the

desired set inclusion criteria for a study. According to Mugenda and
Mugenda (1999), a target population is the population to which a
researcher wants to generalize the results of a study. The target
population for this research the Laico Regency Hotel management
and the employees in the Hotel (The top management, The middle
level and the Lower Level)

Sample size and sampling procedures

A sample is a subject of population which the researcher intends to

generalize the finding (Cohen and Morrison, 1994). In order to get
representative sample for this study,). In order to get representative
sample for this study, the researcher employed non probability
sampling to get the Laico Regency Hotel management and the
employees in the Hotel. Snowballing technique was employed to
reach out to the employees and also the people who were willing to
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 reach out to the employees and also the people who were willing to
participate in the study were also selected. The process was
continued until the sample was saturated. A total of 80 employees in
the Laico Regency Hotel management were picked.

Data analysis

Due to the qualitative nature of the study, the researcher used both
narrative and illustrative analysis to organize, present and interpret
the data collected. In this research project, descriptive analysis
techniques and tools were used to organize, interpret and present the
data collected.

Excel was used to analyze the data and simple statistical analysis
tools such as tables and pie charts were used to present the findings
and also data obtained was coded and clustered into common
themes for subsequent statistical analysis using the SPSS software.

Ethical considerations
The research was not completed without ethical considerations. The
researcher foresaw some ethical problems and efforts was taken to
avoid or reduce infringement of the rights of others, while not
undermining the quality of the study.

Privacy and confidentiality were considered. The researcher

assured the organization that the information sought was purely
academic and would in no way be related to them whether directly
or remotely. Some respondents did not want their participation
exposed whether directly or remotely. However, the respondents
had the right to remain and be kept anonymous and their identities

Identity disclosure; Before commencement of the interview, the

researcher should explain clearly to the interviewee who are what
you are doing from whom the purpose of the information collected
and how it will be used to avoid misunderstanding.
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 References

“Factors affecting employee turnover and sound retention strategies

in business organization: a conceptual view”
https://businessperspectives.org/images/pdf/applications/publishing/
templates/article/assets/8193/PPM_2017_01_Mamun.pdf
Jamie Baxter (February 27, 2020) Solving the Industry’s Biggest
Challenge: Understaffing
https://www.hotel-online.com/press_releases/release/solving-the-
industrys-biggest-challenge-understaffing/
Africa’s hotel industry is booming—but only in a small number of
markets
https://qz.com/africa/1293441/africas-hotel-sector-is-booming-in-
south-africa-morocco-egypt-and-kenya/
Factors influencing labour turnover in three and five star-rated
hotels in Nairobi, Kenya
http://www.ijhssnet.com/journals/Vol_1_No_20_December_2011/1
9.pdf
Language barrier for staff stifles hospitality industry
https://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/tea/rwanda-today/language-
barrier-for-staff-stifles-hospitality-industry--1314138
Factors that affect employee turnover in five-stars hotels in Beijing,
China
:
 China
https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/85256227.pdf

CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND
INTERPRATATION
4.0 Introduction.
This chapter covers data analysis, presentation, and interpretation of
study findings based on the data collected from the field. The
analysis of the data will be done objectively and also according to
the information that was collected.

Social factors influencing understaffing

Age

According to the table below it indicates that majority (34 percent)

of the respondents; both male and female were in the age bracket of
20 - 29 years followed by (28.5 percent) in the age bracket of
between (30 –39 years). The figure also shows that 13 percent of
the respondents were at the age of 40-49 years old and only 10
percent were over 50 years old. According to Lucas (1995) and the
ILO report (2001), young people in their first employments have
greater expectations from the current jobs and whenever such
expectations are not realized within a period of less than six
months, they resign to look for better opportunities.

Age Frequency Percentage

20-29
22 34.9

30-39
28.5
18
40-49
13 20.6

50 and Above
10 16.0
Total
:
 100

63
Leadership, Employee theft and Training

Leadership plays an important role in the hotel industry; we

observe on the pie chart above that leadership skills is not that
strong in Laico Regency Hotel. Leadership has a percentage of
(35percent) the findings indicated that there is negative relationship
between the leaders and managers in the workplace and their
employees they don’t share good relationship in the hotel which
leads to understaffing. Employee theft and security is really at risk
with a percentage of (40percent) and also there is poor training
which is (23 Percent) being done at the hotel the employees have
not gone through any training for sometime which leads to poor
service of the hotel and understaffing
:
 Level of education
As the table indicates below, the findings that were found after the
collection of data in Laico Regency Hotel. 47% of the respondents
had diploma certificates while 38 percent studied up to secondary
level (Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education) without any post-
secondary qualifications which was their O level. The study further
established that, only 10 percent were degrees holders and only 5
percent had post graduate qualifications. This is in similarity with
the study by Riley (1996), that about two thirds or 64 percent of
jobs in the hotels, restaurants and catering sector are either unskilled
or semiskilled. According to Baum (1996) and Wood (1997), jobs in
the hospitality industry are regarded as low status jobs with low
payments and poor working conditions. Wood (1997) further
attributes to the traditional importance and irreplaceable role of
personal service found in the hospitality and tourism industry rather
than the formal training the person have.

Social Cultural Factors

Organizational Culture
:
 Organizational Culture
Organizational Culture plays an important role in the hotel
industry. Organizational culture is defined as the underlying beliefs,
assumptions, values and ways of interacting that contribute to the
unique social and psychological environment of an organization.
Culture also includes the organization’s vision, values, norms,
systems, symbols, language, assumptions, beliefs, and habits
(Needle, 2004). Under this set of definitions, organizational culture
is a set of shared assumptions that guide what happens in
organizations by defining appropriate behavior for various
situations (Ravasi & Schultz, 2006). Organizational culture affects
the way people and groups interact with each other, with clients,
and with stakeholders. Also, organizational culture may influence
how much employees identify with their organization (Schrodt,
2002).

Language Barrier
:
 On the issue on language barrier the findings concluded that most
employees working Laico Regency Hotel are unable to effectively
communicate in requisite foreign languages. Most of the employees
in the Hotel face difficulties in communicating English, Kiswahili,
Chinese and French Fluently.

As the data indicates below 38percent of the employees speak

English fluently, 44percent speak Kiswahili fluently since that is the
common language recognized in the country, only a few
percentages (5 Percent) of the employees and the managers speak
while French is (10percent). This, the surveyed employees said, has
hampered their capacity to communicate to clients.

It is advisable that the managers and the CEO to arrange trainings to

equip their employees with trainings on the foreign languages. One
of the Manager during the interviews suggested that “Every
morning we need to have a meeting and choose words for the staff,”
said Jane, the director of rooms. “For example, one week they learn
good morning, I need towels, the bathroom is broken the daily
routine in foreign languages tat will encourage staffs to continue
working in the Hotel.
:
 CHAPTER FIVE

CONCLUSION & RECOMMENDATION

Introduction

This chapter will give conclusions and recommendations of the

factors influencing understaffing in Laico Regency Hotel in
Nairobi, Kenya
Conclusion
With the summary of the findings it was concluded that
management should instigate further programs to understand why
employees quit the organization and identify the issues that attract
and retain them in the organizations. Job satisfaction is the key
determinant of turnover intention. Hence, if the above sound
strategies are applied, there is a possibility that business
organizations continue to exist in a vibrant environment by taking
into account their workforce as a vital resource. Many experts are of
the view that employees are the staying power of any organization
so organizations necessitate taking initiative to implement the
employees’ motivation process, thereby enhancing the overall
employees’ performance by providing quality products and offering
excellent services. It is also required to realize the employee
turnover intent. Around fifteen percent of the workforce intends to
leave, which are likely to result in actual turnover if mitigating
strategies are not put in place. It is less expensive to retain the
employees than to recruit, train and place new ones. Therefore,
every organization will have necessary measures to fill employee
vacancies and need to develop robust retention strategies to prevent
further employees leaving. As a consequence, the intent of this
paper in discovering the factors and narrating them to the study is to
present a general viewpoint of what the organization necessitates to
identify and anticipate, as well as what are the diverse streets
available for future reflection to deal with major issues relating to
employee turnover.

Recommendations
:
 References

“Factors affecting employee turnover and sound retention strategies

in business organization: a conceptual view”
https://businessperspectives.org/images/pdf/applications/publishing/
templates/article/assets/8193/PPM_2017_01_Mamun.pdf
Jamie Baxter (February 27, 2020) Solving the Industry’s Biggest
Challenge: Understaffing
https://www.hotel-online.com/press_releases/release/solving-the-
industrys-biggest-challenge-understaffing/
Africa’s hotel industry is booming—but only in a small number of
markets
https://qz.com/africa/1293441/africas-hotel-sector-is-booming-in-
south-africa-morocco-egypt-and-kenya/
Factors influencing labour turnover in three and five star-rated
hotels in Nairobi, Kenya
http://www.ijhssnet.com/journals/Vol_1_No_20_December_2011/1
9.pdf
Language barrier for staff stifles hospitality industry
https://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/tea/rwanda-today/language-
barrier-for-staff-stifles-hospitality-industry--1314138
Factors that affect employee turnover in five-stars hotels in Beijing,
China
https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/85256227.pdf
Organizational Culture
https://gothamculture.com/what-is-organizational-culture-
definition/
Organizational Culture in Hotel Industry: Perceptions and Preferences
among Staff
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/272136290_Organizationa
l_Culture_in_Hotel_Industry_Perceptions_and_Preferences_among
_Staff
:
: