Relationship with employers and employee job satisfaction
This study considers supervisors as frontline managers who are responsible for the supervision of
employees. Bowen, Cattell, Distiller and Edwards (2008) conducted a research of employees’
job satisfaction amongst Quantity Surveyors. The research revealed that a low degree of
supervision and cordial relations amongst employees significantly influenced job satisfaction
among the Quantity Surveyors. Landry and Vandenberghe (2012) drew on social exchange
theory and hierarchical linear modeling to examine the influence of supervisor-employee
relational commitments on employee job performance. Three hundred employee-supervisor
dyads completed two sets of survey questionnaires in nine Canadian public health organizations.
The result indicated supervisor and employee positive commitment correlated positively.
Supervisor emotional intelligence can have a similar effect on employee motivation. Singh
(2013) asked a sample of 474 employees from 200 organizations, in South Africa, to rate their
supervisors’ levels of emotional intelligence behavior (EIB), and how each EIB influenced their
sense of job satisfaction. The result indicated a high and significant correlation between
employees’ sense of job satisfaction and supervisors’ EIBs. Sakiru, Othman, Silong, Kareem,
Oluwafemi & Yusuf, 2014) found supervisor leadership styles positively influence employees’
satisfaction.
Okediji, Etuk and Nnedum (2011) analyzed the influence of relationship between supervisors’
support and co-workers’ involvement on job satisfaction of 150 employees of a brewery
company in Uyo, Nigeria. The result of a 2-way ANOVA for unequal sample size indicated
higher job satisfaction for employees who perceived their supervisors as supportive compared
employees who saw their superiors as unsupportive. At the organizational level, Muse and
Wadsworth (2012) showed that employee’s perception of organizational support has a robust and
a positive relationship with task performance and job dedication. Business leaders can motivate
and empower employees by improving supervisory and organizational support. Supervisors may
motivate their staff through constructive feedbacks.
Singh (2013) asked a sample of 474 employees from 200 organizations, in South Africa, to rate
their supervisors’ levels of emotional intelligence behavior (EIB), and how each EIB influenced
their sense of job satisfaction. The result indicated a high and significant correlation between
employees’ sense of job satisfaction and supervisors’ EIBs. Sakiru et al. (2014) found supervisor
leadership styles positively influence employees’ satisfaction. Leaders who encourage positive
leadership style may enhance job satisfaction than leaders who do not.
The result of a 2-way ANOVA for unequal sample size from a study conducted by Okediji, Etuk,
and Nnedum (2011) involving 150 employees of a brewery company in Uyo, Nigeria, focusing
on the effect of perceived worker involvement and support from supervisors on the job indicated
that higher job satisfaction for employees who perceived their supervisors as supportive
compared employees who saw their superiors as unsupportive. At the organizational level, Muse
and Wadsworth (2012) showed that employee’s perception of organizational support has a robust
and a positive relationship with task performance and job dedication.
Relations with co-workers and job satisfaction
Employees’ job satisfaction can be affected by such organization’s social environment as co-
worker interactions. If employees interact with peers or colleagues who are supportive, they fell
comfortable, which positively influences their performance (Parvin & Kabir, 2011). According
to Basar (2011), employees have preference for work when working with co-workers who are
not only co-operative and supporting, but also friendly. (Başar, 2011). Ajayi and Abimbola
(2013) assert that employees who develop and maintain cordial relationships with their co-
workers stand higher chances of achieving work satisfaction that the employees who do not.
Findings of other studies have supported the link between task-oriented relation with coworkers
and job satisfaction. Marzuki, Permadi, and Sunaryo (2012) examined the influence of job facets
such as job characteristics, rewards, relationship with superiors, relation with coworkers, and
fulfillment of higher order needs on job satisfaction of Indonesian construction workers (N = 56).
This correlational study indicated that the task-related relation with coworkers influenced
construction workers’ job satisfaction. Whereas permanent workers favored assistance as a form
of coworker relationship, temporary employees valued cooperative behaviors. These findings
indicate that employees value supportive coworkers in task performance.
Good working relationships with colleagues can engender a healthy working environment that
enhances personal satisfaction. Moor, Leahy, Sublett, and Lanig (2013) studied the effect of
nurse-to-nurse relationship on work environment of registered nurses in southwestern Ohio (N =
82). The study was a mixed method design. The result indicated that to poor relationship among
co-workers, a considerable number of sampled nurses contemplated making an exit from the
professions. They cited the critical importance of supportive interpersonal behaviors among staff
on personal satisfaction of nurses. The study is a useful foundation to examine a larger sample of
workers in other professions, locations, industries, and countries.
Findings of other studies have supported the link between task-oriented relation with co-workers
and job satisfaction. Marzuki, Permadi, and Sunaryo (2012) examined the influence of job facets
such as job characteristics, rewards, relationship with superiors, relation with co-workers, and
fulfillment of higher order needs on job satisfaction of Indonesian construction workers (N = 56).
This correlational study indicated that the task-related relation with co-workers influenced
construction workers’ job satisfaction. Whereas permanent workers favored assistance as a form
of coworker relationship, temporary employees valued cooperative behaviors. These findings
indicate that employees value supportive co-workers in task performance. Good working
relationships with colleagues can engender a healthy working environment that enhances
personal satisfaction.
Job Satisfaction
Ronra and Chaisawat (2015) analyzed factors affecting employee turnover and job satisfaction in
Amari Hotels & Resort, Thailand, where 11 out of 356 hotels were sampled. The findings
indicate that insufficient resources and tools to undertake daily tasks had the highest influence
employees’ job satisfaction, and hence turnover, followed by inadequate rewards and recognition
for attaining the set targets. Al-Ababneh (2013) explored the influence of managers’ leadership
styles in Five-Star Hotels in Jordan on job satisfaction using a sample of 220 employees. The
results show that two types of leadership styles: laissez-faire and democratic had positively and
significantly influenced employees’ job satisfaction, however, democratic leadership style had a
more significant influence than laissez-faire.
Kumari (2016) studied employees’ satisfaction in the Indian hotel sector, where two hotels ITC
Maurya and Taj Mahal were sampled. Descriptive research design was adopted and sample size
60 employees selected, with equal representation from each of the two hotels. Findings show that
employees felt very satisfied when exposed to the eight selected parameters. Kiruthiga and
Magesh (2015) carried out a study entitled “Rouse employee loyalty through job satisfaction” in
Australia using a sample of 500 employees in the hotel industry. Exploratory factor analysis
identified key factors to job satisfaction (working environment, human resource policies, training
and development, career building and work relationships) and employee loyalty (career
development, job security and commitment). An examination of the inter-relationship revealed
that work environment, working relationship and human resource policies have a greater impact
on employee loyalty.
Mokaya, Musau, Wagoki and Karanja (2013) explored effect of work conditions on job
satisfaction of Kenyan hotel sector employees using a decripto-explanatory design that covered
84 employees sampled from 170 employees in hotels in Nakuru town. The results reveal as being
the following factors had a significant positive effect on job satisfaction hotel sector: (i)
remuneration (0.854 coefficient), and (ii) promotion (0.448 coefficient).
Summary and Research Gaps
Empirical studies reviewed indicate that whereas many researches were done concerning factors
affecting job satisfaction of employees representing various sectors internationally, regionally
and in Kenya, among them: Okediji, Etuk, and Nnedum (2011); Marzuki, Permadi, and Sunaryo
(2012); Bryson, Barth, and Dale-Olsen (2012); Painoli and Joshi (2012); Tanjeen (2012);
Landry and Vandenberghe (2012); Kumar and Shekhar (2012); Elegido (2013); Morgan, Dill,
and Kalleberg (2013); Moor, Leahy, Sublett, and Lanig (2013); Singh (2013); Moor, Leahy,
Sublett, and Lanig (2013) Cottini and Lucifora (2013); Ajayi and Abimbola (2013) ; Hassan,
Hassan and Shoaib (2014); Sakiru, Othman, Silong, Kareem, Oluwafemi & Yusuf, 2014); and
Buriro, Tunio, Mumtaz, Mahar and Afzal (2016), there is no such study that has been undertaken
in the hospitality industry in Kenya, specifically focusing on the independent variables of the
current study, namely working conditions, remuneration, relationship between employees and
supervisors, and co-worker relations. Thus the need for this research.
This study focuses on only working relations, remuneration, relationship with supervisors, co-
worker relations, and leadership, and excludes other factors, which include job security,
autonomy, fairness, and relationship with employees, while other factors were left out, including
internal communication, opportunities for career advancement, organizational policies. Work
load, stress levels, leadership behavior, training and development, and characteristics of the job,
the excluded factors are recommended as areas of focus for future studies.
Conceptual Framework
Conceptual framework is the exact description of the research phenomenon, which include
visual representation of the variables being studied (Mugenda & Mugenda, 2006). The factors
under study in this research are working conditions, remuneration, and relationship with
supervisor, co-worker relations and internal communication. The identified factors are anchored
on the following theories: (i) Content Theory - Herzberg’s Motivation; and (ii) Process theory -
Expectancy Theory. Depicted is the hypothesized relationship between variables of the
research.
Independent Variables Dependent Variable
Working Conditions
Remuneration
Relationship with supervisor
Co-worker relations
Figure 2.1: Conceptual
framework Source: Author, 2022
Operationalization of Variables
According to Shuttleworth (2015), is the definition of research variables into factors that are
measurable in empirical and quantitative terms, while enhancing quality of results and robustness
of the design. Table 2.1 depicts operationalization of the research variables.
Job satisfaction
Performance
Commitment
Employee retention
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