Senior Receptionist

EMPLOYEE SATISFACTION AND PERFORMANCE: A STUDY OF THE RC HOTEL COMPANY KITCHEN ENVIRONMENT

A Thesis

Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the University of New Orleans in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of

Masters of Science in Hospitality and Tourism Management

by Melissa Bradberry Sims B.S. Nicholls State University, 2002 December 2004

Copyright Statement The following research uses secondary data that was provided by the RC Hotel Company human resources department. The employee satisfaction survey is “Portions Copyright © 2004 Kaznova Consultants, Personnel Research Associates”. The employee performance appraisals were submitted anonymously and are “The RC Hotel Company Confidential and Proprietary Information”. The use of this information is for educational purposes only and should not be duplicated, copied or distributed without the permission of the property.

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Table of Contents

Abstract .............................................................................................................................. iii Chapter 1..............................................................................................................................1 Introduction......................................................................................................................1 Research Question ...........................................................................................................1 Importance of Study.........................................................................................................2 Hypothesis........................................................................................................................2 Chapter 2..............................................................................................................................3 Overview of The RC Hotel Company .............................................................................3 Background and History of The RC Hotel Company................................................3 Description of Services Offered, Product, and Market Segment...............................4 The RC Hotel Company Human Resources Department ..........................................6 Chapter 3..............................................................................................................................9 Literature Review.............................................................................................................9 Employee Performance Appraisal .............................................................................9 Employee Satisfaction ......................................................................................10 Job Design & Job Characteristics ................................................................10 Measurement of Job Satisfaction .................................................................12 Alternative Solutions to Address Problems and Challenges........................15 Chapter 4............................................................................................................................17 Methodology ..................................................................................................................17 Data Collection ........................................................................................................18 Survey Analysis .......................................................................................................18 Overall Company .........................................................................................19 Gold Standards/ Guest Service ....................................................................20 Your Job.......................................................................................................21 Physical Work Environment ........................................................................23 Communications ..........................................................................................23 Leadership, Supervision, and Management Effectiveness ..........................24 Team Work/ Lateral Service........................................................................26 Pay and Opportunity ....................................................................................26 Benefits ........................................................................................................27 Career Development and Training...............................................................28 Quality..........................................................................................................29 The Employee Promise and About the Survey ............................................30 The Employee Performance Appraisals...................................................................31 Chapter 5............................................................................................................................35 Discussion of Results.....................................................................................................35 Question Summary...................................................................................................35 Job Knowledge.............................................................................................35 Your Job..............................................................................................35 Communications .................................................................................36

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Leadership, Supervision, and Management Effectiveness .................36 Quality of Work ...........................................................................................37 Career Development and Training......................................................37 Quality.................................................................................................38 Physical Work Environment ...............................................................38 Quantity of Work .........................................................................................39 Your Job..............................................................................................39 Physical Work Environment ...............................................................40 Teamwork/ Lateral Service.................................................................40 Judgment ......................................................................................................41 Career Development/ Training ...........................................................41 Leadership, Supervision, and Management Effectiveness .................41 Your Job..............................................................................................42 Dependability...............................................................................................43 Benefits ...............................................................................................43 Your Job..............................................................................................43 Team Work/ Lateral Service...............................................................44 Attendance ...................................................................................................45 Pay and Opportunity ...........................................................................45 Employee Promise ..............................................................................45 Safety and Care of Equipment .....................................................................46 Your Job..............................................................................................46 Quality.................................................................................................46 Career Development and Training......................................................47 Attitude and Relationship ............................................................................47 Gold Standards/ Guest Service ...........................................................48 Team Work / Lateral Service..............................................................48 Communications .................................................................................49 Personal Development .................................................................................49 Pay and Opportunity ...........................................................................50 Benefits ...............................................................................................50 Career Development and Training......................................................50 Personal Appearance....................................................................................51 Overall Company ................................................................................51 Quality.................................................................................................52 Employee Promise ..............................................................................52 Summary ......................................................................................................53 Chapter 6............................................................................................................................56 Findings and Conclusions ..............................................................................................56 Limitations of Study ......................................................................................................59 References..........................................................................................................................61 Vita.....................................................................................................................................63

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Abstract Employee satisfaction and performance are a major determinant of the corporate culture of a property. Discussion of whether or not this statement is true within the kitchens of The Ritz Carlton Hotel in New Orleans is the basis for this study. By using the corporate mandated tools (the annual employee satisfaction survey and the employee performance appraisals) the determination of this question was confirmed. However, there were some great concerns about the validity of the two tools. The tools showed a definite relationship between the employee satisfaction survey and the performance appraisal, as well as a negative employee perception of the communication from managers on certain topics.

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Chapter 1 Introduction There are many different departments in a hotel, and while all departments have their own environmental idiosyncrasies; a kitchen environment is a place where emotions, tempers, and temperatures are notorious for running high. The kitchens at the RC Hotel Company are no different. At any particular time of the day there may be an employee with an issue concerning the satisfaction of their job or their quality of life. So, the primary question or concern is what are managers/supervisors at the RC Hotel Company doing to ensure the satisfaction of their employees in the kitchen? Also, how does the RC Hotel Company find out about their kitchen employees needs and/or wants? Research Question The way to ascertain the satisfaction of one’s employees has been the subject of numerous studies. The research question of this study: are employee satisfaction and performance related? The question is specific to the kitchens of the RC Hotel Company. The purpose of this paper is to define employee satisfaction, measure it, and examine how it can affect employee performance. Some other related questions are: To what extent does the human resources department play a role in the satisfaction and performance of an employee? What amenities are needed to enhance working conditions? Who is responsible for the training and motivation of the employees?

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Importance of the Study The answer to the research question, are employee satisfaction and performance related in a kitchen environment is important because the more a company knows about its employees, the better equipped it is able to create a positive and productive corporate culture. The study of the kitchens of RC Hotel Company is important because the property currently spends a great deal of time and money to effectively train and motivate its employees. A better knowledge and understanding of the tools that the company already uses will help to understand what the employees really want and need in order to be successful. Hypothesis The hypothesis is that employee satisfaction and performance are related and the implementation and correct usage of the management tools used by the company will help to better understand the employees of the kitchen. Also, the combination of the tools used by the hotel (annual employee satisfaction survey, annual employee performance appraisal, and the different training classes offered) and the human resources department are integral in determining employee satisfaction than previously considered The study is limited to the kitchens of the RC Hotel Company and the employees who have been there for at least a year. The format will be as follows: history of the company, literature review, methodology, discussion of results, and findings. The following section will discuss the history behind the RC Hotel Company This section is important to understand because it defines why the company spends so much time and effort in selecting the best employees.

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Chapter 2 Overview of the RC Hotel Company This chapter discusses the RC Hotel Company, its history and structure of the property today. A particular focus will be on the human resources department and their critical role in the selection process of the major asset of the property, the employees. This chapter will also discuss the different measures taken by the company in order to try and keep the employees motivated and satisfied. 2.1 Background and History of the RC Hotel Company The headquarters of The RC Hotel Company hotels are in Chevy Case, Maryland. The company has 54 hotels worldwide and about 23,000 employees. The history of the company, originated with the 1983 purchase of the RC Hotel Company, Boston, (which had been an established property since its opening on May 19, 1927), by William B. Johnson and the purchase of the right to the RC Hotel Company name. The legacy of the RC Hotel Company, Boston begins with the celebrated hotelier, Cesar Ritz. His philosophy of service and innovations redefined the luxury hotel experience in Europe through his management of The Ritz in Paris and The Carlton in London. The current RC Hotel Company was established in 1983 with the purchase of The RC Hotel Company, Boston and the rights to the name "RC Hotel Company." The management company has grown from one hotel to 54 hotels worldwide with plans for major expansion in Europe, Africa, Australia, Asia, the Middle East, North America and Latin America. The RC Hotel Company, Boston revolutionized hospitality in America by creating in a luxury setting: • Private bathroom for each guest room

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Lighter fabrics in the guests room White tie and apron uniforms for the wait staff, black tie for the Maitre d’ and morning suits for all the other staff conducive to a formal, professional appearance

• • • •

Extensive fresh flowers throughout the public areas A la carte dining, providing choices for diners Gourmet cuisine, utilizing the genius and cooking methods of Auguste Escoffier Intimate, smaller lobbies for a more personalized guest experience

(www.ritzcarlton.com, 2004) In 1995, Marriott International purchased forty nine percent interest in RC Hotel Company and three years later that interest was increased to ninety nine percent. The RC Hotel Company is a management company with a tradition of excellence, service, and luxury. 2.2 Description of Services Offered, Product, and Market Segments The RC Hotel Company is located on Canal Street in two historic landmarks, the Maison Blanche and Kress buildings on the edge of the French Quarter. These buildings used to house the finest department stores in the city. Following a two hundred and fifty million dollar restoration effort in the late 1990s that preserved the glazed terra cotta exterior, prismatic glass, and other turn of the century design elements, the former shopping emporium has been transformed into a 753 room hotel which opened on October 6, 2000. The property was the first luxury, five star, five diamond hotel to be built in the New Orleans market in sixteen years. The rooms are subdivided into three different hotels, the RC Hotel Company, the Maison Orleans, and the Iberville Suites. The differences of the hotels are to attract specific market segments. At the Iberville Suites, as the name suggests, are mostly suites. The RC Hotel Company offers both

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king beds, or two double beds, and the Maison Orleans rooms are mostly king beds. When staying at any of the hotels, the guests can enjoy 24 hour room service, an award wining spa, different signature shops as well as the many different dining outlets located within the hotel. The Maison Orleans is also considered the club level of the RC Hotel Company property. The club level is differentiated from the rest of the hotel because it offers five different meal presentations and personal “butler like” service. The amenities offered by the hotel are 20,000 square foot day spa and fitness center, an on site open-air courtyard with a grand fountain, a complete business center and a conference facility that involves a grand ballroom (7,500 square feet) and a junior ballroom (3,500 square feet). There is superb dining and entertainment offered in Victor’s Grill and the French Quarter Bar. The property is also minutes away from the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, the Superdome, the Aquarium of the Americas, and the New Orleans International Airport. The hotel is a distinct departure from architecture and design that typifies traditional RC Hotel Company’s. There was a conscious effort to design a hotel that was indigenous to the city. When you arrive at the door of the RC Hotel Company, you know that you are in New Orleans. The hotel also features a 3.5 million art collection, which was all purchased at estate sales and auctions throughout Louisiana and restored to compliment the color scheme and furnishings. The art collection showcases works of art from New Orleans in the 1800s and back to the time of Louis XIV. The design and color scheme of the hotel reflects the city’s most famous celebration, Mardi Gras, with a subdued palette of purple, green, and gold. This scheme can be found everywhere from the custom designed carpets to the wall coverings and furnishings. The entire hotel reflects the graciousness and charm of the city’s garden district mansions and antebellum homes.

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(RC Hotel Company, 2004, www.ritzcarlton.com ). 2.3 The RC Hotel Company Human Resources Department The RC Hotel Company success to a large degree is built upon a highly effective human resources department. The duties of the department include the initial selection process of applicants, administering of the annual employee satisfaction survey, the annual re-certification of all the employees (a process where the employee is asked questions about their job and given the opportunity to ask questions about their job), the new employee orientation, and the educating of the current employees in such topics as leadership, labor management, and diversity training. After the prospective employees fill out an employment application a pre-screening process ensues. The pre-screening consists of a few questions that determine the applicants’ compatibility with the property. After the pre-screening process, the prospective employee is then assigned to a staff interview analyst also known as a quality selection process analyst (QSP). The quality selection process begins with a survey consisting of approximately 65 open ended questions that are posed to the prospective applicant. These questions are confidential except to the employees trained on how to administer the survey. After the completion of the survey the prospective employee is rated based on the scores of the top performers and the lowest performers of our company. It is then determined if they fall within that continuum and whether they are compatible with corporate standards and expectations. After reviewing the outcome of the survey, the applicant’s scores, resume, and application are then forwarded to the relevant department head to set up a one on one interview with the applicant. The applicant then must pass a drug test which would allow their hiring. Finally, the new employee must go through

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orientation which is a two day process that is required to be completed before the start of the actual job. The first day of orientation is considered the employees starting date. The goal of the QSP is to match the perfect person to the perfect job. The potential for employees’ to be satisfied in their positions are greater if those employees’ are accurately placed in the correct job. An annual employee satisfaction survey is used and issued by Marriott International to understand the employees’ perception of their job, and the company. This survey uses specific questions to rate the level of satisfaction of every employee, in every department at the property. The results are given to the corporate office where they are reviewed by senior managers and then passed on to the property where they are reviewed within the different departments and discussed with all of the employees. This discussion of the survey with the employees generates an action plan to improve employees’ satisfaction in their departments. The annual employee performance appraisal is a series of 10 questions that allow the manager to rate the employee based on their job performance. This is a tool that also allows the employee and manager to plot out the goals for the employee over the next year. The appraisal is not shared with any other employee, but the information is passed along to the human resources department as well as the department head; in this case that would be the executive chef of the property. This is an effective tool that when used properly, should allow employees and managers to know what is expected of each other. The ability to also be privy to the personal goals and aspirations of each employee of the kitchen is a powerful tool for the human resources department. This information would allow the HR department to know what the employees goals and career path are, and help them achieve those goals as the opportunities to advance present themselves.

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The following chapter will discuss the literature, both past and present, on the topics of employee satisfaction and performance.

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Chapter 3 Literature Review The literature review will examine relevant theories, discuss and define employee satisfaction, and employee performance appraisal. It will also address the issues of satisfaction and performance as it relates to the hospitality industry and the kitchen. 3.1 Employee Performance Appraisal “Performance refers to the degree of accomplishment of the tasks that make up an individuals job” (Spears, 2000, p. 714). Performance can be confused with effort; however, performance is measured in terms of results. Performance appraisals usually are done by every organization and are not always formal. Sherman, Snell and Bohlander (1997) say that the success or failure of a performance appraisal program depends on its philosophy and the attitudes and skills of those who manage it. There are many different steps in the employee performance appraisal process. The initial steps that managers/ employers should take when conducting employee performance appraisals are to gather information about said employee. Once the information is gathered, the manager needs to correctly and effectively share with the employee if they are meeting organizational needs; this information is shared in the hopes that an increased level of performance will be noted (Spears, 2000). Sherman, Snell and Bohlander (1997) show that the primary objectives of an employee performance appraisal are: To provide employees with the opportunity to discuss their performance with the supervisor or manager. To identify strengths and weaknesses of the employee’s performance.

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To suggest ways the employee can meet performance standards, if they have not been met. To provide a basis for future job assignments and salary recommendations. Research conducted shows that performance appraisals are used primarily for the decisions concerning compensation. However, employees want feedback about their performance and employee performance appraisals offer the ability to obtain such information for them. the following sections will discuss some of the different aspects of the job that can affect an employees ' ability to have a positive performance appraisal. 3.2 Employee Satisfaction When measuring employee or job satisfaction there are many components that need to be considered. Job satisfaction is generally defined as an individual’s opinion about their occupation (Spears, 2001). The following sections will discuss job satisfaction and the different ways to measure it by focusing on job design and characteristics, measurement of job satisfaction, and finally by discussing alternative solutions to address problems and challenges. 3.2.1 Job Design & Job Characteristics When discussing job satisfaction, job design is the initial issue that must be evaluated. Job design is defined as an outgrowth of job analysis and is concerned with structuring jobs to improve organizational efficiency, and employee job satisfaction (Shearman, Snell, & Bohlander, 1997). A job is considered to be a set of all tasks that must be performed by a given employee (Chase & Aquilano, 1992) and jobs must be clearly defined and distinct to help

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employees not misunderstand or misinterpret what is required of them (Shearman, Snell, & Bohlander, 1997). There are many aspects that affect the ultimate job structure or design. Figure 2 is a representation of some of the factors in job design and what managers need to anticipate when deciding how to structure not only their job requirements, but the positions they are filling as well.

Figure 1: Factors in Job Design
Who Mental and physical characteristics of the workforce What Tasks to be performed

Where Geographic Locale of organization; location of work areas

When
Time of day; time of occurrence in the work flow

Why
Organizational rationale for the job; objectives and motivation of the worker

How
Method of performance

Ultimate Job Structure

Source: Chase and Aquilano, 1992

Hackman (1977) defined five job dimensions or task characteristics: skill variety, task identity, task significance, autonomy, and feedback. He also found that meaningfulness of work, responsibility, and knowledge of actual results of work activities could contribute to work

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performance and job satisfaction. Hackman concluded that the greater the extent of all the task characteristics in a job the more likely it is that the employee will be highly motivated and experience job satisfaction. 3.2.2 Measurement of Job Satisfaction There are five different components or divisions of job satisfaction defined by Smith, Kendall, and Hulin (1969) satisfaction with opportunities for promotion, pay, supervision, the work itself, and coworkers. Some of the other components that they found which can affect job satisfaction are: attitudes toward life in general, health and age, level of aspiration, social status, and self-concept. However, there are three dominant points noted by Schwab and Cummings (1970) that relate to the satisfaction-performance relationship; they are shown in Figure 3: Figure 2: Job Satisfaction-Performance Relationship Satisfaction -----------Performance --------Satisfaction + X + Y --Source: Schwab and Cummings, 1970

Performance Satisfaction Performance

The preceding figure shows how satisfaction can lead to performance; performance can lead to satisfaction and finally the relationship between satisfaction and performance can be related by many other factors. Hopkins, Vaden, & Vaden (1979) conducted a study that showed food service employees with higher job satisfaction were higher performers, and were recognized by the organization they work for more than the lower job performing employees. The research also showed that the expectations and opportunities of the high performing employees that arose from

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their job situations may or may not affect job performance and satisfaction. Figure 4 is a Figure 3: Aspects of Organization Identification Among School Foodservice Employees conceptual model for analyzing work performance in foodservice organizations.

Perceived opportunities Perceived expectations

Individual Perceptual Outcomes

Performance Inputs Quality of work Quantity of work Following direction Initiative and judgment Attendance Personal relations

Performance Outcome

High job satisfaction

High Job Performance

High organizational Identification

Individual Work Orientation

Low Job Performance

Low job satisfaction

Low organization Identification

Perceived opportunities

Perceived expectations

Source: Adapted from Hopkins, Vaden, and Vaden, (1980)

As seen in figure 4 low job performance and satisfaction can be all interrelated. Some examples of things that employees may interpret as unsatisfactory or satisfactory are: poor

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working conditions, boredom, limited job opportunities, no recognition for job performance, low wages, and poor fringe benefits (Hopkins, Vaden & Vaden, 1979). High job satisfaction can be determined by the employees’ perception of what their opportunities are and the organizational climate that surrounds them. The recession in the early 1990s affected the normally high turnover rate because people were no longer leaving their job whether they were satisfied or not. A number of steps were taken to combat the low job performance and satisfaction in the food service industry, the main step introduced was increased efforts in training and motivation (Rihele, 1993). The managers of foodservice organizations need to understand and learn to deal with turnover by really recognizing and sympathizing with the reasons behind it (Bailey, 1992). The benefits of having satisfied employees in an organization are numerous, and the reasoning behind having satisfied employees is somewhat elementary. Satisfied employees are preferred because they simply make a work environment and organizational climate better (Rue and Byars, 1989). There are many different practices that an organization can perform to create a better and more effective work environment; these practices can directly effect employee satisfaction. Some ideas that managers are the most concerned with are: attracting the most qualified workers, and utilizing the human capital within the organization (Enz, 2001). The RC Hotel company attracts the most qualified workers through the reputation that the company has, the competitive pay offered, the comfortable working conditions, and the positive work environment. The RC Hotel company creates a positive work environment by listening and reacting on their employees suggestions. The company gets suggestions from the employee through the employee satisfaction survey. Studies have shown that the use of more sophisticated human resource management techniques and better, planning and selection strategies have resulted in higher labor

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performance, especially in capital-intensive organizations (Koch & McGrath, 1996). A large study of nearly one thousand firms showed that ‘high performance work practices’ are linked to lower turnover, higher performance, and higher long- and short-term financial performance (Huselid, 1995). 3.2.3 Alternative Solutions to Address Problems and Challenges Employees are a vital key to the success of an organization and a productive workplace. The proper communication between managers and employees is the first and best way to keep performance and satisfaction high and boast a low turnover rate. Research concerning communication between managers and employees has shown how to create a workplace where the employees are productive. Many researchers believe that when management participates and communicates with the employees, positive outcomes are considerable and job satisfaction is greatly increased (Jackson, 1983; Hoerr, 1989; Peterson & Hillkirk, 1991; Bluestone & Bluestone, 1992; Bernstein, 1993). Soonhee states that, “Effective communications between supervisor and employee are a significant factor in informing employees of the objectives and job expectations under an existing or, particularly, new organizational structure” (2002, p.235). Effective communication can, not only empower employees by making them feel valued, but it also can lessen turnover and absenteeism. This creates a better environment to work in and performance levels to increase (Eby et al., 1999; Pierce, Rubenfeld, & Morgan, 1991; Thomas & Velthouse, 1990). Another major benefit of good communication between employees and managers can often result in not only superior employee satisfaction, and a high level of quality customer satisfaction. “Through communication channels that develop with employees as a result of total

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quality management ideas for product design will emerge as employees feed back information received from the guest” (Bowen, 1997, p.349). Does employee satisfaction produce performance in a kitchen environment? The literature review shows that there are many different aspects impact upon satisfaction and performance. However, the literature does demonstrate that having the proper tools, equipment, training, motivation, and good communication from managers promotes employee satisfaction. The employees are satisfied because they are able to make decisions that directly affect their job. The proper design and layout of the kitchen is also a determinant of employee satisfaction. If the kitchen is not ergonomically designed, the job is more difficult to do. There is, or there can be physical pain involved in the daily activities that are required of kitchen employees, which affects the performance. Furthermore, when employees are unmotivated or are not empowered to make decisions that directly affect their work environment they can show dissatisfaction and become less productive. By having the correct tools and design in the kitchen the employee can have a better more productive work experience. Finally, communication is a vital key in the satisfaction and performance of employees. The use of employee surveys, meetings, and employee evaluations are key methods of communication with employees. Chapter 4 will show how the use of the literature found and the interpretation of the data received from the annual employee performance appraisals are put into practice at the RC Hotel Company. This chapter will also analyze the annual employee satisfaction survey and provide some insight to the research question.

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Chapter 4 Methodology The research question for this thesis, ‘Are employee satisfaction and performance related?’ will be discussed in this chapter. Qualitative secondary research was chosen as the methodology of the study because, “Qualitative research is common in social and behavioral sciences and among practitioners who want to understand human behavior and functions” (Ghauri, Gronhaug & Kristianslund, 1995, p.85). Also, it has been stated that qualitative research is very appropriate for the study of organizations, groups and individuals (Strauss & Corbin, 1990). The following figure is a map of the research design. Figure 4: Research Design Map

Relationship Between Employee Satisfaction and Employee Performance

Employee Satisfaction

Employee Performance

Measured by: Employee Satisfaction Surveys

Measured by: Employee Performance Appraisals

Subjects: Organization

Subjects: Employees

The preceding figure shows how the data given is interpreted and how the study is proving the relationship between employee satisfaction and performance based on the employee

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satisfaction surveys (which are taken by employees and allows them to score their opinion of all aspects of the organization) and the employee performance appraisals (which are given to the employees by managers and allows the managers to rate the employees performance from the preceding year). 4.1 Data Collection The methodology of this paper deals exclusively with the kitchen environment of the RC Hotel Company. There were two sources of data. First was the annual employee satisfaction survey that was distributed in 2003; second the data from the kitchen employee performance appraisals was used on an anonymous basis. The only known factors of the employee performance appraisals were that the employees reviewed had been with the company for at least one year and their primary job was working in one of the kitchens (garde manger, banquets, restaurant, pastry, employee dining room). 4.2 Survey Analysis The employee satisfaction survey will be discussed for all the kitchen employees. Also, following each individual section of the survey the aggregate response of the questions will be provided. The number of respondents from the kitchen for the employee satisfaction survey was 27. The number of employees in the entire kitchen at the time the survey was distributed was 47, making the response rate for the kitchen to be 57.4%. The number of respondents from the entire property was 369 out of 704, or a 52.4% response rate. The survey is broken down into the following sections:

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Overall Company Gold Standards/ Guest Services Your Job Physical Work Environment Communications Leadership, Supervision and Management Effectiveness Teamwork/ Lateral Service Pay and Opportunity Benefits Career Development and Training Quality The Employee Promise. The survey uses a Likert-based scaled response for answering questions varying through very good, good, fair, poor, and very poor. The results are produced and separated giving percentages of favorable responses (very good or good). 4.2.1 Overall Company The following eight questions are designed to obtain the employees opinion of the overall company. The questions ask the opinions on certain topics such as: management, the comparisons of other hotels they know about, and if they would recommend the hotel they work for to their friends. This section also allows the employee to begin thinking about the different things that affect their job.

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Table 1: Overall Company
Questions 1.Considering everything, how would you rate your overall satisfaction with the RC Hotel Company at the present time? 2. Overall, considering the events of the last year or so, would you say the RC Hotel Company has? 3. How would you rate the RC Hotel Company as a company to work for compared with other companies you know about? 4. How would you rate your hotel as a hotel to work for compared to other hotels you know about? 5.If you have your own way, will you be working for the RC Hotel Company two years from now? 6.I would recommend the RC Hotel Company to my friends as a place to work. 7.I would consider leaving the RC Hotel Company for another company that was offering slightly higher salary (10% or more). 8. How do you rate the RC Hotel Company in providing job security? Aggregate Percentage Favorable Percentage 93% 76% 96% 93% 81% 96% 38% 88% 83%

Table 1 shows that the aggregate score of all of the questions given by kitchen employees for Overall Company section is 83%. Therefore, the employees are generally pleased with the overall corporate culture. The question with the lowest positive answer is question 7. From that question employees showed that they would leave the company for another job opportunity that offered a 10% raise in salary. The score given by the employees on this question raises concerns because it shows that employees are not very satisfied with the amount of pay they receive for the amount of work they do. 4.2.2 Gold Standards/ Guest Service This section is comprised of nine questions and asks the employees to rate how the property lives up to their expectations and what was told to them when they began working for the company. This section discusses the main principles and standards of the company and how the

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employee feels the company is keeping or adhering to those practices. This section also allows the employee to rate or interpret how they feel about the actions of their managers in reference to their internal and external guests. Table 2: Gold Standards/ Guest Service
Questions 9. The RC Hotel Company lives up to the Motto “We are ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen.” 10. The RC Hotel Company lives up to the three steps of service. 11. The RC Hotel Company lives up to the Credo. 12. The RC Hotel Company lives up to the 20 Basics. 13. The RC Hotel Company lives up to the employee promise. 14. How would you rate the level of guest service (internal or external) provided by your department? 15. To what extent are the RC Hotel Company’s Gold Standards supported By the actions of your immediate supervisor / manager? 16. To what extent are the RC Hotel Company’s Gold Standards supported By the actions of your executive committee / guidance team? 17. To what extent are the RC Hotel Company’s Gold Standards supported By your corporate office in Atlanta? Aggregate Percentage Favorable Percentage 81% 78% 74% 70% 63% 96% 89% 85% 74% 79%

Table 2 shows that the aggregate score of all of the questions given to the kitchen employees concerning Gold Standards / Guest Service is 79%. This can be interpreted as meaning that employees understand the companies mission and not only comply, but are generally pleased and agree with what the company stands for. The only question that causes concern or shows room for improvement concerns the employee promise (one of the foundations of the company). Question 13 shows that 37% of employees do not feel that the company lives up to the promises made to them. 4.2.3 Your Job This section consists of seventeen questions that ask the employee to rate how well they enjoy the different aspects of their job. The employees are basically able to rate their quality of life and

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how satisfied they are with their job. This directly assists the managers with understanding their employees and their ability to have a full and enjoyable personal life. This section is useful to managers because the effective use of the information from this section can directly show them how effective and efficient they are as the leaders/ supervisors of their department. Table 3: Your Job
Questions 18. Considering everything, how satisfied are you with your job? 19. I like the kind of work I do. 20. The amount of work I am expected to do on my job is: 21. Over and above the normal work week, how much additional time have you been spending on your work? 22. How satisfied are you with the extent to which your job leaves sufficient time for your personal or family life? 23. On the job, do you feel any pressure for increasing the work you do above what you think is reasonable? 24. My job makes good use of my skills and abilities. 25. My work gives me a feeling of accomplishment? 26. I have enough information to do my job well. 27. How satisfied are you with your involvement in decisions that affects your work? 28. How satisfied are you with the challenge of the work you do? 29. How satisfied are you with the recognition you get when you do a good job? 30. Conditions in my job allow me to be as productive as I can be? 31. I feel encouraged to come up with new and better ways to do things. 32. I am proud of the work I do. 33. I enjoy the work I do. 34. I have opportunities to plan how my work gets done. Aggregate Percentage Favorable Percentage 93% 96% 74% 42% 56% 41% 96% 88% 78% 93% 81% 74% 70% 89% 100% 93% 93% 80%

Table 3 shows that the aggregate score of all of the questions given by kitchen employees concerning Your Job is 80%. The interpretation of this data shows that employees are relatively satisfied with the different aspects of their job and their opportunities to have a positive quality of life both inside and outside of work. The two lowest percentages in this table concern question 21 and 23. Both questions concern the amount of work done during a typical shift. This shows that 58% (question 21) and 57% (question 23) of employees feel that the amount of work they are expected to do is more than what they believe is reasonable.

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4.2.4 Physical Work Environment This section consists of three questions and asks the employee to rate their satisfaction with their immediate work environment. This allows managers to see if employees are pleased with the level of security/comfort they feel they have while working. Table 4: Physical Work Environment
Questions 35. How satisfied are you at present with your physical working conditions (heat, noise, light, cleanliness, space, ventilation, etc.) 36. How would you rate the health and safety conditions in the RC Hotel Company where you work? 37. How satisfied are you at present with your personal security at your hotel? Aggregate Percentage Favorable Percentage 93% 89% 93% 91%

Table 4 shows that the aggregate score of all of the questions given by kitchen employees concerning Physical Work Environment is 91%. This data can be interpreted as showing that employees are generally very happy and pleased with the level of personal security they feel they have in the hotel, as well as the satisfaction they feel within their everyday work environment. The question that causes the most concern is related to the health and safety conditions in the environment where they work. Question 36 shows that 11% of the kitchen employees do not feel comfortable with their level of personal security while on the job. 4.2.5 Communications The following section consists of five questions concerning the level of communication about the company and how it is distributed to the employees. It also discusses how well the employee feels the company listens and uses the information given to create a better work environment.

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Table 5: Communications
Questions 38. I have a good understanding of our overall company mission. 39a. The RC Hotel Company Hotel Company, L.L.C. does a good job of seeking the opinions and suggestions of employees. 39b. The RC Hotel Company Hotel Company, L.L.C. does a good job of acting on the opinions and suggestions of employees. 40. Most employees feel free to voice their opinions openly at the RC Hotel Company. 41. There is an easy way to voice my ideas and opinions in the RC Hotel Company so that they are considered. 42a. The RC Hotel Company does a good job of providing information on the way my pay is determined. 42b. The RC Hotel Company does a good job of providing information on my benefits. 42c. The RC Hotel Company does a good job of providing information on financial performance of the hotel. 42d. The RC Hotel Company does a good job of providing information on the way my performance is evaluated. Aggregate Percentage Favorable Percentage 96% 78% 67% 85% 81% 81% 96% 88% 88% 85%

Table 5 shows that the aggregate score of all of the questions given by kitchen employees concerning Communications is 85%. This information can be interpreted as the employees are satisfied and believe that their opinions matter. This also means that employees understand the amenities that are offered to them to improve their quality of life. However, 33% of the employees showed an unfavorable response to question 39b. This shows that employees are dissatisfied with the management’s use of their opinions and suggestions. 4.2.6 Leadership, Supervision, and Management Effectiveness This section consists of fifteen questions that deal with the level of satisfaction of the employees with their leadership and management in all aspects of the organization (corporate, and property distinctive). This section allows the employee to share their opinion about the effectiveness and quality of their leaders and managers.

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Table 6: Leadership, Supervision, and Management Effectiveness
Questions 43. How satisfied are you with the leadership provided by the RC Hotel Company Corporate Management in Atlanta. 44. How satisfied are you with the leadership provided by your executive committee/ guidance team? 45. How satisfied are you with the leadership provided by your immediate supervisor or manager? 46. Overall, how good a job do you feel is being done by your immediate supervisor/manager? 47. To what extent is your immediate supervisor/manager good at applying Human Resources policies and procedures fairly? 48. To what extent is your immediate supervisor/manager good at helping people solve work-related conflicts? 49. To what extent is your immediate supervisor/manager good at facilitating work and work group discussions? 50. To what extent is your immediate supervisor/manager good at giving you regular feedback on your performance? 51. To what extent is your immediate supervisor/manager good at encouraging teamwork? 52. To what extent is your immediate supervisor/manager good at keeping you informed about management actions and/or decisions? 53. To what extent is your immediate supervisor/manager good at helping you to “make time” to participate in training and development activities? 54. To what extent is your immediate supervisor/manager good at encouraging internal customer service (for example, to other departments)? 55. To what extent is your immediate supervisor/manager good at encouraging good customer service to our guests? 56. To what extent is your immediate supervisor/manager good at knowing how the work needs to get done? 57. Please rate the kind of job that your immediate supervisor/manager is doing in treating employees with respect and dignity. Aggregate Percentage Favorable Percentage 75% 73% 81% 85% 85% 78% 81% 70% 89% 74% 74% 70% 89% 85% 81% 80%

Table 6 shows that the aggregate score of all of the questions given by kitchen employees concerning leadership, supervision and management effectiveness is 80%. This score can be interpreted to show that employees are satisfied with their immediate managers and supervisors as well as the corporate office and the job they are doing. Furthermore, the employers understand and know what is expected of their managers from the corporate office. There are, however, two questions within this section that raise concerns. 30% of employees feel that their immediate manager/ supervisor are not good at giving feedback regularly, and they are not encouraged to

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participate in internal customer service. This shows that the kitchen employees are not satisfied with their managers/ supervisors ability at giving feedback. 4.2.7 Team Work/ Lateral Service This section consists of four questions that concern the different departments in the hotel and how they help each other in everyday operations. This section discusses the corporate culture of the hotel and how each department interacts with each other to create a stellar product. Table 7: Lateral Service
Questions 58. The people I work with cooperate to get the job done. 59. Communication between my department and others at out hotel is good. 60. When disagreements or conflicts occur between different departments at the hotel, we work together to resolve them. 61. In my department, there is lateral service. Aggregate Percentage Favorable Percentage 93% 93% 81% 89% 89%

Table 7 shows that the aggregate score of all of the questions given by kitchen employees concerning team work / lateral service is 89%. The score from this section shows that the kitchen employees believe that the entire property is working together to produce the product they are selling. Also, it shows the employees feel there is opportunity to work in other departments. However, 19% of the employees responded with a dissatisfied rate on the question concerning how well the employees work together to resolve interdepartmental problems/arguments. This shows that kitchen employees are not satisfied with their leaders’ ability to resolve issues within the department.

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4.2.8 Pay and Opportunity This section consists of four questions that deal with the employee satisfaction concerning their pay and opportunities within the company. This section is beneficial because it allows managers/supervisors to see how well their employees feel about advancing their career. Table 8: Pay and Opportunities
Questions 62. How do you rate the amount of pay you get for your job? 63. In comparison with people in similar jobs in other companies, I feel my pay is: 64. How satisfied are you with your opportunity to get a better job at the RC Hotel Company. 65. I am given a real opportunity to improve my skills at the RC Hotel Company. Aggregate Percentage Favorable Percentage 59% 37% 78% 89% 66%

Table 8 shows that the aggregate score of all of the questions given by kitchen employees concerning pay and opportunity is 66%. This score shows that employees are somewhat happy with the opportunities for advancement and the amount of money they get paid to do their job. This section directly relates to the level of quality of life within employees. The question that raises the most concern and is also the lowest scoring question on the survey is question 63. This question shows that 63% of employees feel that their pay is not favorable in comparison with other people in similar jobs. This proves that kitchen employees are not completely satisfied with their rate of pay within the company. 4.2.9 Benefits This section is comprised of eight questions that ask employees to rate their satisfaction based on the benefits package that is made available to them when hired into the company. This helps

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the executive committee understand how well managers are explaining the amenities offered to employees and also how well the employees appreciate and understand what is offered to them. Table 9: Benefits
Questions 66. How do you rate your total benefits program? 67. How do you rate the following RC Hotel Company benefits: Vacation? 68. How do you rate the following RC Hotel Company benefits: Medical Coverage? 69. How do you rate the following RC Hotel Company benefits: Dental Coverage? 70. How do you rate the following RC Hotel Company benefits: Sick Time? 71. How do you rate the following RC Hotel Company benefits: Retirement Plan? 72. How do you rate the following RC Hotel Company benefits: Medical Coverage, Dental Coverage, and Sick Time? 73. How do you rate the following RC Hotel Company benefits: Other (Tuition Reimbursement, Room Discounts, etc?) Aggregate Percentage Favorable Percentage 83% 84% 79% 83% 83% 86% 68% 94% 84%

Table 9 shows that the aggregate score of all of the questions given by kitchen employees concerning Benefits is 84%. This score shows that employees understand very well the amenities offered to them from the company and they are very satisfied with those things. However, question 72 shows that 32% of the employees are dissatisfied with their medical/dental coverage, and sick time offered by the company. This percentage of dissatisfaction may directly affect employees’ quality of life. 4.2.10 Career Development and Training This section is comprised of six questions that ask employees to rate their level of satisfaction on their career development and training within the hotel. This section allows

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managers/supervisors to see how well they did training their employees. It also allows the employees to rate how they well they were trained. Table 10: Career Development and Training
Questions 74. How satisfied are you with the training you received for your current job? 75. The RC Hotel Company does a good job of providing the training I need to do my job well. 76. The RC Hotel Company does a good job of insisting on continuous employee development. 77. The RC Hotel Company does a good job of providing opportunities for personal growth and development (transfers, promotions, etc)? 78a. Employees at the RC Hotel Company receive fair consideration for promotion or other career opportunities regardless of cultural background. 78b. Employees at the RC Hotel Company receive fair consideration for promotion or other career opportunities regardless of gender (Male/Female). 79. The RC Hotel Company does a good job of clearly defining the skills I need in order to be successful. Aggregate Percentage Favorable Percentage 81% 81% 78% 77% 85% 81% 85% 81%

Table 10 shows that the aggregate score of all of the questions given by kitchen employees concerning Career Development and Training is 81%. This shows that employees are satisfied with their career choices and development within the company. This section also shows how employees feel about the training they got from their managers. The questions that cause the greatest amount of concern are 76 and 77. These questions show that 22% (question 76) and 23% (question 77) of the employees are not satisfied with the way the company assists with continuous employee development and provides opportunities for personal growth and development, including transfers and promotions. This shows that kitchen employees may feel that they do not have the opportunity to grow personally and transfer with in the company.

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4.2.11 Quality This section consists of eleven questions which have to deal with the quality of life in the job setting. The employees are asked to rate their job satisfaction based on their corporate culture. This section also allows employees to rate how they feel about the products offered from the company, both tangible and intangible and how well they are able to create that product. Table 11: Quality
Questions 80. How would you rate the overall quality of work done in your department? 81. The executive committee/ guidance team shows by its actions that quality is a top priority in this hotel. 82. When choices have to be made, my immediate manager/supervisor usually places quality above other business objectives (production schedules, budget, etc.) 83a. My department has enough staff to do quality work. 83b. My department has enough finances to do quality work. 83c. My department has enough equipment to do quality work. 83d. My department has enough supplies to do quality work. 84. There is close cooperation among departments to achieve quality. 85. I have the authority to make decisions that improve the quality of my work. 86. I have received the training I need to do a quality job. 87. Individuals are recognized for their contributions to quality. 88. Teams are recognized for their contributions to quality. 89. I feel valued as an employee of the RC Hotel Company Hotel Company. 90. My department uses feedback from other hotel employees to improve the quality of our work. Aggregate Percentage Favorable Percentage 89% 81% 85% 59% 70% 77% 78% 81% 96% 89% 85% 85% 78% 74% 81%

Table 11 shows that the aggregate score of all of the questions given by kitchen employees concerning quality is 81%. This supports the view that employees are satisfied with the different quality aspects of their job. Also employees feel that their department has the ability to do a quality job and produce a quality product. However, question 83a shows a 41% unfavorable response concerning the amount of staff required to do a quality job. This shows that the kitchen employees feel and are aware of the lack of staffing within their area.

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4.2. 12 The Employee Promise and About the Survey This final section consists of seven questions that discuss how the employees rate their satisfaction within the company using one of the gold standards that is integral in the proper functioning of the property, the Employee Promise. The Employee Promise is integral in the determination of the quality of life within the employees. Also this section allows the employees to rate how they feel about their opinions given on the survey. Table 12: The Employee Promise and About the Survey
Questions 91. Ladies and Gentlemen are our most important resource in our service commitment to our guests. 92. We apply principles of trust, honesty, integrity, and commitment to the benefit of each individual and the company. 93. We foster a work environment where diversity is valued. 94. We foster a work environment where quality of life is enhanced. 95. We foster a work environment where individual aspirations are fulfilled. 96. We foster a work environment where the RC Hotel Company mystique is strengthened. 97. I have confidence that the results of this survey will be used constructively by my management. Aggregate Percentage Favorable Percentage 59% 67% 70% 67% 59% 67% 78% 65%

Table 12 shows that the aggregate score of all of the questions given by kitchen employees concerning the Employee Promise is 65%. This shows that employees are moderately satisfied with the way they are treated and the way the company adheres to its major promise made to them. The lowest scoring section on the survey show a 41% employee dissatisfaction rate with the employees feeling of being the most important resources in the service commitment to the guests and how they feel about their individual aspirations being fulfilled within the company.

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The Employee Performance Appraisals 4.3 The employee performance appraisals consist of ten different areas of concern. The employee is rated by three different categories; exceeds standards, meets standards, and needs improvement. The employee and the manager discuss their appraisals privately once a year. The ten different areas of discussion are as follows: job knowledge, quality of work, quantity of work, judgment, dependability, attendance, safety and care of equipment, attitude and relationships, personal development, and personal appearance. At the end of each survey the employee has an area available to set goals for him/her self for the next year. This appraisal is then passed to the human resources department where it is stored in the employees’ file, for reference. At any given time managers, the employee, and the human resources department can refer to the appraisal; for example: when a new job opportunity is presented that the employee has shown interest in. The data shown in Table 16 is based on 17 anonymous employee performance appraisals, from employees of the various kitchens at the property. The only limitation that was given when compiling the data was that the employee had to be working at the property in the kitchen for at least a year. Table 16 also shows the aggregate percentages of those anonymous employee performance appraisals. Table 13: Employee Performance Appraisals
Job Knowledge Employees’ understanding of all phases of work assignments related functions. Exceeds Standards Meets Standards Needs Improvement Quantity of Work Amount of work done; speed of work; consistency of productivity, meeting deadlines. Exceeds Standards Meets Standards Needs Improvement Quality of Work

35% 59% 6%

35% 59% 6%

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Table 13 Continued
Accuracy and attention to details; lack of errors in work; observance of high standards on work procedures. Exceeds Standards Meets Standards Needs Improvement Judgment Ability to make decisions based on sound reasoning, quality of recommendations and actions taken. Exceeds Standards Meets Standards Needs Improvement Dependability Requires minimal supervision, follow through with assigned tasks. Exceeds Standards Meets Standards Needs Improvement Attendance Record of attendance and tardiness. Exceeds Standards Meets Standards Needs Improvement Safety and Care of Equipment Actively works to make department safe; maintains neat work area; utilize preventative maintenance Exceeds Standards Meets Standards Needs Improvement Attitude and Relationship Demonstration of the Credo offers lateral service Exceeds Standards Meets Standards Needs Improvement Personal Development Ability to accept guidelines and criticism; ability to ask relevant questions and displays self-directed learning, involvement in company training programs Exceeds Standards Meets Standards Needs Improvement Personal Appearance Appropriate dress, grooming, representative of a professional image Exceeds Standards Meets Standards Needs Improvement

24% 76% 0%

47% 47% 6%

53% 47% 0%

53% 41% 6%

29% 59% 12%

59% 35% 6%

35% 53% 12%

35% 65% 0%

The different scores given by the managers of each section signify their knowledge of the employees that work for them. All of the different sections of the survey also show how well the employees are doing according to their managers. When interpreting this data it is inferred that the managers who have given the appraisal are all very pleased with their employees. This is

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shown in the lack of needs improvement scores given by the managers (less than 13% throughout all of the questions). Also, the company has created a survey that is very difficult for the employee to interpret negatively. This is shown because the company’s standards are very high, and for a manager to rate an employee as meeting standards means that they are already doing a very good job. Also, to say an employee is exceeding standards means that the employee is exceptional at the job they are doing. The two sets of data are very important in the planning and procedures of the RC Hotel Company kitchens. The employee satisfaction survey is conducted on an annual basis and helps to create a better work environment in which the employees have an opportunity to impact with their answers to the questions. The employee performance appraisal, also done on an annual basis, helps the employee to better understand not only how they are performing in their current job, but helps to outline goals and strategies for the next year. Both are effective and influential. The following chapter will discuss the relationship between the two surveys and continue to attempt to answer the research question at hand.

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Chapter 5 Discussion of Results The following section will analyze the relationship between the annual employee satisfaction survey and the annual employee performance appraisal. The two sets of data are related because they afford both the managers and the employees the opportunity to rate how they are each doing. The tools are also a way to ensure that communication is happening within the work environment. Each section from the performance appraisal will be discussed and linked back to the three closest top possible questions on the employee survey they relate to. This section will determine if the two tools used by the RC Hotel Company are effective in determining the answer to the research question. Question Summary Job Knowledge 5.1 The employee is appraised on their ability to understand all phases of the work assignments related to functions and relates to the sections on the employee survey titled, your job, communications, and leadership, supervision, and management effectiveness. The results from the employee survey based on the three aforementioned sections show an aggregate favorable percentage of 81.5 %. The employee performance appraisal shows that 35% of the employees are exceeding the standards set by the company and 59% are meeting the standards set by the company in this area.

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5.1.1 Your Job Your job is relevant to the employee appraisal because it directly deals with the employees’ perception of their job and how well their job is defined, how they feel about their own personal job performance, and allows the employee to reflect on how much time they spend on their job outside of work. The 80% aggregate score on the survey entitled your job from Table 3 can be inferred to mean that the employees are satisfied with their job and everything it encompasses. Furthermore, the section on the survey clearly allows the employee to explain whether or not they received appropriate training on the job. 5.1.2 Communications Communications allows the employee to rate the communication with their managers, and corporate office. This section also discusses how well the employee is informed of the benefits they receive working for the company. The 85% aggregate score on the communications section of the survey from Table 5 shows that employees are moderately satisfied with the level of communication shared with them on the job, about their job. 5.1.3 Leadership, Supervision, and Job Effectiveness Finally the section on leadership, supervision, and job effectiveness in the employee survey allows the employee to rate how well their managers communicate their job performance, duties, and changes that are occurring within the property. The sections discussed also directly relate to the performance appraisal statement on job knowledge. Furthermore, the 80% aggregate score on

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the survey from Table 6 shows that employees are satisfied with the level of leadership within their leaders, supervisors/managers, and corporate office. All sections on the survey allow the employee to relate how they feel about the knowledge of their job and help them to understand why those statements are a part of their performance appraisal. Based on the aggregate percentages given from the employee performance appraisal and the information provided from the discussion of the relevant sections, one can infer that the employees are satisfied with the level of job knowledge that employees possess. Quality of Work 5.2 The section of the employee performance appraisal entitled quality of work is concerned with accuracy and attention to details; lack of errors in work and observance of high standards on work problems. This section allows the manager to interpret the employees’ quality of their work and what areas they feel that they need improvement in. The sections that most directly relate to quality of work on the employee satisfaction survey are career development and training, quality, and physical work environment. The results from the employee survey based on the three aforementioned sections show an aggregate favorable percentage of 84.3 %. The employee performance appraisal shows that 53% of the employees are exceeding the standards set by the company and 35% are meeting the standards set by the company in this area. 5.2.1 Career Development and Training The career development and training section on the survey clearly relates to the employee performance appraisal because the main ideas being presented in this section relate to how well the employee believes he or she was trained. Also, this section allows the employee to rate how

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well the company has provided them with training and allowing opportunities for not only personal growth and development but for career development as well. The 81% aggregate score on the survey from Table 10 shows that employees are satisfied with not only their training, but the effectiveness of their managers as well. 5.2.2 Quality The section on the survey entitled quality directly relates to the performance appraisal, because it specifically relates to the quality of work done in that department. It also allows the employee to rate how well they feel their department is able to do based on: allotted finances, the amount of staff available to do the amount of work expected of the department, and the amount of equipment that is in the department related to the amount of work that is required of that department. This section allows the employee to actually rate their interpretation of the quality of work already present in the department. An aggregate score of 81% on the survey from Table 11 shows that employees are satisfied with all aspects of the quality that relate to the job they are required to do. 5.2.3 Physical Work Environment The section of the survey entitled physical work environment directly relates to quality of work as it impacts on the daily work environment. It also allows the employee to rate their level of security, health and safety conditions. The employees’ perceptions are vital in allowing managers and the executive committee to understand how they feel about their work environment and what changes are necessary to make the employees more satisfied. The 91%

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aggregate score on the survey from Table 4 shows that employees are very happy with their work environment, including their health and personal security. The section entitled quality of work on the employee performance appraisal is important because it allows the employee to understand how they are doing in their daily job functions and what is expected of them directly from the manager’s point of view. The sections on the employee satisfaction survey discussed allow the employee to tell the manager what they expect and how they interpret the daily operations of the department. Based on the percentages given and the information provided from the discussion of the relevant sections, one can infer that the employees are pleased with the quality of work done at the property. Quantity of Work 5.3 The section on the performance appraisal entitled quantity of work specifically relates to the amount of work done; speed of work; consistency of productivity, and meeting deadlines. The sections on the employee satisfaction survey that relate are; your job, physical work environment, and teamwork/lateral service. The results from the employee survey based on the three aforementioned sections show an aggregate favorable percentage of 80.6%. The employee performance appraisal shows that 24% of the employees are exceeding the standards set by the company and 76% are meeting the standards set by the company in this area. 5.3.1 Your Job The section entitled your job allows to employee to rate specifically, how satisfied they are with their job, if they like the kind of work they do, and if the managers of the department make good use of the skills and abilities that the employee possesses. If an employee is satisfied and

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being “challenged” in their daily job activities, and enjoys the type of work they do, then the employee will excel in their quantity of work. An aggregate score of 80% on the employee survey from Table 3 shows that employees are satisfied with their job including the amount of work they are expected to on the job. 5.3.2 Physical Work Environment The section entitled physical work environment allows the employee to rate how well they are able to do their job based on the tools and equipment given to them. It also allows the employee to rate how comfortable they feel with their physical work conditions (ex. heat, light, ventilation, space, etc.). The 91% aggregate score on the survey from Table 4 shows that employees are very satisfied with the space they are required to complete a majority of their job tasks. 5.3.3 Teamwork/Lateral Service The section teamwork/lateral service relates to employee quantity of work because it allows the employee to rate how well the department works together to accomplish goals and tasks. This section also allows the employee to rate how well the communication is between the different people in the department. An 89% aggregate score on the survey from Table 7 shows that employees are very satisfied with the amount of assistance that is available to their department, as well as their ability to work in other departments. The sections discussed directly relate to the quantity of work because they allow the employee to share their opinions about their physical job environment, the requirements of their job, and how well the team works together. Based on the percentages given and the information provided

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from the discussion of the relevant sections, one can infer that the employees are pleased with the quantity of work done at the property. Judgment 5.4 The section on the performance appraisal entitled judgment discuses the ability of the employee to make decisions based on sound reasoning, quality of recommendations, and actions taken. The sections of the survey that most relate to this section are career development and training, leadership, supervision, and management effectiveness, and your job. The results from the employee survey based on the three aforementioned sections show an aggregate favorable percentage of 80.3%. The employee performance appraisal shows that 47% of the employees are exceeding the standards set by the company and 47% are meeting the standards set by the company in this area. 5.4.1 Career Development and Training The section entitled career development and training best relates to judgment because it asks the employee to rate how well the property provides training needed to do their job well, as well as allowing the employee to rate how well the property has done clearly defining the skills needed to do the job well. If the employee has not been trained well on what their job expectations are, or if they have not been clearly told what their job specifics are then they are not going to be able to make the best decisions and most informed decisions to do their job. The 81% aggregate response on the survey from Table 10 shows that employees are satisfied with their ability to enhance their career.

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5.4.2 Leadership, Supervision, and Management Effectiveness The section entitled leadership, supervision, and management effectiveness also directly relate to judgment because it allows the employee to rate how well or how regularly the manager gives feedback to the employee. The survey also allows the employee to rate how well the immediate supervisor/manager facilitates work or group discussions. If the employee is not told how well they are doing or if the decisions they regularly make are incorrect then they will not be able to rectify their behavior. Also, if a manager does not effectively and efficiently facilitate group discussions then the employees will not be aware of the proper ways to deal with problems when they arise. The 80% aggregate response shown from Table 6 reflects that employees are satisfied with their managers and leaders ability to motivate, train, and ultimately lead them. 5.4.3 Your Job The section entitled your job directly relates to judgment because it allows the employee to discuss how satisfied they are with their ability to be involved with the decisions that affect their work. They also are able to rate how encouraged they feel to come up with new and better ways to do things. If the employees are satisfied with their ability to make decisions as well as come up with new and better ways to do things then they should be more inclined to continue to make those decisions and use their judgment in a positive manner. An aggregate score of 80% from Table 3 shows that employees are satisfied with their job and their ability to make decisions that affect their immediate job. The sections discussed directly relate to judgment because they allow the employee to rate how well they are being communicated to, how well they were trained, and how correct the

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decisions they currently make are. These topics afford the opportunity to the employee to continue to make decisions based on company policy and set standards. Based on the percentages given and the information provided from the discussion of the relevant sections, one can infer that the employees and managers are pleased with the level of judgment used and available to them at the property. Dependability 5.5 Performance appraisal section entitled dependability discusses the employee’s ability to require minimal supervision and the follow through of assigned tasks. The sections on the employee survey that best relate to this are benefits, your job, and team work/lateral service. The results from the employee survey based on the three aforementioned sections show an aggregate favorable percentage of 84.3%. The employee performance appraisal shows that 53% of the employees are exceeding the standards set by the company and 47% are meeting the standards set by the company in this area. 5.5.1 Benefits Benefits relates to dependability because it allows the employee to rate how they feel about the benefits offered to them from the company (vacation time, sick time, etc.). Job satisfaction is created because the employee knows, understands, and recognizes that they are allowed to have time off of work. The 84% aggregate score from Table 9 on the survey shows that employees are satisfied with the benefits that are offered to them to assist in the enhancement of their quality of life.

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5.5.2 Your Job The section entitled your job best relates to dependability because the employee is allowed to rate how much input they are allowed to have in reference to the way they are able to plan how their work gets done. This relates to dependability because when the employee is able to plan their work they can understand when they are required to be there and also when they need to communicate to other employees the necessary tasks in order to complete the work or project without necessarily involving a manager or supervisor. The 80% aggregate score from Table 3 for this section shows that employees are satisfied with their job, including their ability to plan how their work gets done. 5.5.3 Team Work/ Lateral Service Team work/ lateral service relates to dependability because it allows the employee to rate how they feel about their colleagues. The section also allows the employee to rate the communication between their department and other departments in the hotel. This relates to dependability because with good communication and a good relationship between the employee and their team members the job can be completed in the best manner. An 89% aggregate score on the survey from Table 7 in this section proves that employees are satisfied with their ability to give and receive help when needed within the different departments of the hotel. The sections discussed directly relate to the topic dependability because they allow the employee to communicate with their team members, and make decisions that directly affect their job. The proper training and communication from the managers/supervisors to that employee

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should allow as little interference from the manager as possible, thus increasing employee satisfaction and ownership of the tasks expected of them. Attendance 5.6 The sections on the employee survey that best relate to this topic are pay and opportunity and employee promise. The results show an aggregate favorable percentage of 65.5%. The employee performance appraisal shows that 51% of the employees are exceeding the standards set by the company and 41% are meeting the standards set by the company in this area. 5.6.1 Pay and Opportunity Pay and opportunity affect attendance because the employee is allowed to rate how well they feel they are being compensated for the job they are doing. This relates to attendance as well as satisfaction because if the employee feels that they are being compensated well for the job they are likely to ensure that their attendance is good. The 66% aggregate score from Table 8 on the survey shows that employees are moderately satisfied with the compensation for the job they are required to do. 5.6.2 Employee Promise The section entitled the employee promise affects attendance and satisfaction because if the employee understands and acknowledges that they are valued and needed, they can appreciate that without their presence, the company is not able to provide the level of service that is expected of our property. The 65% aggregate score on the survey shows from Table 12 that

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employees are again, moderately satisfied with their opportunity to enhance their quality of life and individual aspirations. The sections discussed directly relate to the topic attendance because they allow the employee to rate how well they are being compensated, and also how well the employee understands that regular attendance is a busier tenet of a position. Based on the percentages given and the information provided from the discussion of the relevant sections, one can infer that the employees are moderately satisfied with the level of management/supervisor, and company expectations regarding attendance. Safety and Care of Equipment 5.7 Performance appraisal section entitled safety and care of equipment discusses how the employee actually works to make their department safe; maintains neat work area; and utilizes preventative maintenance. The sections on the employee survey that directly relate to this topic are your job, quality, and career development and training. The results show an aggregate favorable percentage of 80.6%. The employee performance appraisal shows that 29%of the employees are exceeding the standards set by the company and 59% are meeting the standards set by the company in this area. 5.7.1 Your Job The section entitled your job also relates to the topic because it allows the employee to rate if they have enough information to do their job well. This relates back to the topic because without enough information the employee would not know how to safely operate and maintain the equipment needed for their daily job. An 80% aggregate score on the survey from Table 3 shows

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that employees are satisfied with the different aspects of their job and the level of information they receive to do their job well. 5.7.2 Quality The section entitled quality also relates to the topic because the employee is able to rate if they have received the training to do a quality job. This relates back to the topic because if the employee was trained to do a quality job then they would know the proper way to protect and maintain the assets of the company. The 81% aggregate score shown on the survey from Table 11 reflects the employees’ satisfaction with their job, and more importantly their level of satisfaction with the amount of supplies and equipment they require to do their job properly. 5.7.3 Career Development and Training The section entitled career development and training because it allows to employee to rate how well the property did providing the training the employee needed to do their job well. This relates back to the topic because the better and the more extensive the training, the more informed an employee will be about their surroundings and how to properly maintain them. An 81% aggregate score on the survey from Table 10 shows that employees are satisfied with the training they received to do the job required of them. The sections discussed from the survey directly relate to the topic because the employee is able to rate how well they were trained, and communicated to about their job. The proper communication from managers to employees ensures that the safety and care of equipment is the primary concern of each and every employee in the department.

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Attitude and Relationship 5.8 Employee performance appraisal section entitled attitude and relationship discusses how the employee demonstrates the Credo (a statement based on how the company expects their employees to treats the customers) and philosophy, courtesy, cooperation, friendliness, teamwork with co-workers and supervisors; follows company guidelines. The employee survey sections that best relate to this topic are gold standards/guest service, team work/lateral service, and communication. The results from the employee survey based on the three aforementioned sections show an aggregate favorable percentage of 84.3%. The employee performance appraisal shows that 59% of the employees are exceeding the standards set by the company and 35% are meeting the standards set by the company in this area. 5.8.1 Gold Standards/ Guest Service The section entitled gold standards/guest service best relate to the topic because the employee is allowed to rate how the property lives up to the motto, we are ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen. This relates to attitude and relationship because the motto is one of the main standards the company is based on. The compliance with this statement allows the employee to form respectful and cooperative work relationships with their co-workers. A 79% aggregate score on the survey from Table 2 shows that employees are moderately satisfied with the level of cooperation from the property and corporate office concerning the standards the company is founded on.

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5.8.2 Team Work/ Lateral Service The section entitled team work/lateral service allows the employee to relate how well disagreements or conflicts that can occur between the different departments at the hotel are worked through and resolved together. This relates back to the topic of attitude and relationship because with the proper and open communication between departments and employees a strong and successful work connection can be created. This can create a positive work environment. The 89% aggregate score on the survey from Table 7 shows that employees are satisfied with the relationships they are able to build in the company both in their home department and in other departments as well. 5.8.3 Communications The section entitled communications allows the employee to rate how well the company acts on the opinions and suggestions of employees. This relates back to the topic of attitude and relationship because when management listens and communicates effectively with employees the employee attitude and satisfaction is improved because their opinions have been able to affect their jobs. The 85% aggregate score on the survey from Table 5 reflects the employees’ satisfaction with their ability to communicate with their managers. The sections discussed from the survey relate best to the performance evaluation topic because by allowing employees to communicate their opinions, work through conflict with other employees and departments, and being in constant compliance with the motto allows the attitude and relationship of that employee to stay positive. A positive attitude and work relationship allows employees to continue to be satisfied and productive in their workplace.

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Personal Development 5.9 The section in the performance appraisal entitled personal development discusses the ability of the employee to ask relevant questions and display self-directed learning, and involvement in company training programs. The sections on the survey that best relate to this topic are pay and opportunity, benefits, and career development and training. The results from the employee survey based on the three aforementioned sections show an aggregate favorable percentage of 77%. The employee performance appraisal shows that 35% of the employees are exceeding the standards set by the company and 53% are meeting the standards set by the company in this area. 5.9.1 Pay and Opportunity The section entitled pay and opportunity best relate to the topic because it allows the employee to rate how satisfied they are with their opportunity to get a better job at the property. This relates to personal development because when the employee has the ability to move and transfer within the company, the ability to nurture and maximize their talents is easily attained. The 66% aggregate score on the survey from Table 8 shows that employees are moderately satisfied with their ability to enhance their quality of life based on the amount of money they are compensated. 5.9.2 Benefits The section entitled benefits best relates to the topic because it allows the employee to rate their total benefits program (sick time, vacation time, dental, medical etc.). This relates to personal development because the employee has the opportunity to provide excellent benefits to

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themselves or their family. The 84% aggregate score on the survey in the benefits section from Table 9 shows that employees are satisfied with the benefits package offered to them from the company. 5.9.3 Career Development and Training The section entitled career development and training allows the employee to rate how well the company does in providing opportunities for personal growth and development (transfers, promotions etc.). This relates to the topic because the employee is able to personally and professionally grow within the company and achieve the goals set by them. The 81% aggregate score shown on the survey in Table 10 proves that employees are satisfied with their ability to create and achieve the professional and personal goals set by them. The sections discussed from the survey best relate to the performance evaluation because they allow the employee to realize the opportunities and benefits available to them to personally grow and prosper within the company as well as their personal life. This section also allows the company to maximize the talent of each individual and allow them to grow. Personal Appearance 5.10 The section in the performance appraisal entitled personal appearance discusses appropriate dress, grooming, and the representation of a professional appearance in each employee. The sections on the survey that best relate to the topic are RC Hotel Company overall company, quality and employee promise. The results from the employee survey based on the three aforementioned sections show an aggregate favorable percentage of 76.3%. The employee

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performance appraisal shows that 35% of the employees are exceeding the standards set by the company and 65% are meeting the standards set by the company in this area. 5.10.1 Overall Company The section entitled RC Hotel Company overall company relates best to the topic because it allows the employee to rate their overall satisfaction with the RC Hotel Company at the present time. This relates to personal appearance because when the employee shows pride and satisfaction where they work, they will show that through their personal dress and appearance. An 83% aggregate score from Table1 shows that employees are satisfied with their overall company. 5.10.2 Quality The section entitled quality best relates to the topic because it allows the employee to rate how valued they feel as a part of the company. This relates to the topic because when an employee feels valued, they are proud of the work they do they represent their company both inside and outside the workplace well. The 81% aggregate score on the survey from Table 11 shows that employees are satisfied with their value felt within the company. 5.10.3 Employee Promise The section entitled employee promise best relates to the topic because it allows the employee to rate how their quality of life is enhanced. This relates to the topic because when the quality of life of an employee is enhanced then their personal and professional lives are fulfilled and the pride they experience is shown or represented through their personal appearance. The 65%

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aggregate score on the survey from Table 12 shows that employees are moderately satisfied with the level to which their quality of life is enhanced. Summary 5.11 Table 14 provides a synopsis of the information presented in the chapter. This information highlights the numerical relationship drawn from the employee satisfaction survey and the employee performance appraisals. The numbers in the employee performance appraisal section only show the percentage of employees that exceeded the standard.

Table 14: Graphical Representation of Data
Job Satisfaction/ Employee Satisfaction Survey 1. Your Job 2. Communications 3.Leadership, Supervision and Job Effectiveness 1. Career Development and Training 2. Quality 3. Physical Work Environment 1. Your Job 2. Physical Work Environment 3. Teamwork/Lateral Service 1. Career Development and Training 2. Leadership, Supervision and Job Effectiveness 3. Your Job 1. Benefits 2. Your Job 3. Teamwork/Lateral Service 1. Pay and Opportunity 2. Employee Promise Aggregate Percentage 80% 85% 80% 81% 81% 91% 80% 91% 89% 81% 80% 80% 84% 80% 89% 66% 65% Judgment 47% Employee Performance/ Employee Performance Appraisal Favorable Percentage/ Exceeds Standards

Job Knowledge

35%

Quality of Work

35%

Quantity of Work

24%

Dependability

53%

Attendance

53%

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Table 14: Continued
1. Your Job 2. Quality 3. Career Development and Training 1.Gold Standards/Guest Service 2. Teamwork/Lateral Service 3. Communications 1. Pay and Opportunity 2. Benefits 3. Career Development and Training 1. Overall Company 2. Quality 3. Employee Promise 80% 81% 81% 79% 89% 85% 66% 84% 81% 83% 81% 65% Safety and Care of Equipment 29%

Attitude and Relationship

59%

Personal Development

35%

Personal Appearance

35%

The topics discussed on both the employee satisfaction survey and the performance appraisals were very insightful in answering the research question. By knowing and understanding how the questions relate, one can infer that both are very good tools in determining employee satisfaction and performance. Although both tools are very useful, there are some very distinct and critical issues require discussion. The employee satisfaction survey is solely based on kitchen employees and because there were only 27 respondents, there may have been some bias. The different educational backgrounds that comprise the kitchen staff of the hotel are also a very important factor in the employee satisfaction survey. The employees may not have completely understood some of the questions posed to them. Finally, because managers know how important the survey is to the corporation and how reflective it is on their personal job performance they may have requested or scheduled the employees they felt that were satisfied with their present job and would give positive answers on the survey. The two tools that are used in this study are very valuable in the determining of the corporate culture of the property. However, if used incorrectly the tools are completely

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ineffectual. Conversely, if the tools are used correctly they can help increase employee satisfaction and productivity. Essentially, if the managers and employees are well informed and taught the importance of these two tools than they should be able to comprehend how they are able to directly affect the corporate culture of the organization.

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Chapter 6 Findings & Conclusions The initial finding and conclusions of this research is that the company uses both the employee satisfaction survey and the employee performance appraisal as tools to allow the employees to voice their opinions, and also to help create a clear and concise career plan for them. This is accomplished in two ways. After the completion of the employee satisfaction survey there is a meeting held with the managers and employees of each department. At these meetings the results of the survey are discussed and plans are made to alleviate any problems found from the survey and the different ways to capitalize on the positive aspects of the survey are discussed. After the employee performance appraisal is completed, the manager and employee sit one on one and create a plan for the employee for the next year. At this meeting the strengths, weaknesses, and career objectives of that employee are discussed. Both of the tools used also communicate to the employee their progress and managerial expectations concerning their performance. The research also demonstrated that employee performance is very contingent upon the perception of the supervisor that rates the employee. If the employee perceives that the organization, department, and manager/supervisor they work for are there to improve their quality of life and help them reach their professional goals, then the employee has a greater chance of realizing satisfaction and be inherently more productive. If the employee is inclined to have a more negative outlook then they will be less likely to reach their personal and professional goals and their quality of life will be very low. Furthermore, without strong, positive, and productive communication from their manager/supervisor as well as their organization, employees may have the inclination to relate that lack of communication to signify

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a poor job performance; this can also lead to dissatisfaction and lower levels of performance, this is in concert with the findings of Hopkins, Vaden, and Vaden (1979). Another research finding was that no matter how many amenities a property provides for an employee (health benefits, vacation, satisfaction surveys, performance appraisals, coaching and counseling from managers/supervisors etc.) the best guide to determine if satisfaction and performance relate is through the employee satisfaction survey. If the human resources department does not find employees that are highly motivated, goal oriented, and compatible with RC Hotel Company culture and values, the employee will never be satisfied and their performance will be low. According to the research some ways a company can help create productive and satisfied employees is to have a safe comfortable work environment, where employees have all the tools necessary to do their job. Also, by allowing employees to make decisions that directly affect their job satisfaction and performance can greatly increase. Furthermore, by assisting employees (through positive management and effective coaching and counseling) in the realization of their goals, both personal and professional, managers/supervisors and the organization can create more productive employees. Finally, by successfully communicating with employees both positive and negative feedback, managers can increase satisfaction and performance because the employee is made aware of what they are not only required to do, but what they need to do to realize their goals. The interpretation of the data used in the research process shows that employees are generally satisfied with their company. Two of the lowest scoring questions on the satisfaction survey concerned the amount of work done and the pressure for increasing the amount of work done from managers. Finally, the questions that caused the most concern for their low scores are both

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questions concerned the employees’ opinion on their importance within the company and their ability to fulfill their individual aspirations. The inference from these scores is that communication is lacking. This is because these questions relate to the ineffective communication from managers to employees. If managers effectively communicated to employees concerning their pay, their value to the company and what is expected of them from their job the level of satisfaction would increase. Concerning the performance appraisals, it seems that managers are very satisfied with their employees’ performance as is evidenced by the low scores in the needs improvement sections of the appraisals. The needs improvement aggregate scores never exceed 13%. The sections on the performance appraisal that show the highest scores in the needs improvement section are, safety and care of equipment (12%) and personal development (12%). The data collected from the employee surveys and employee performance appraisals show that there is some break down in communication. Why are managers very satisfied with their employees and employees somewhat dissatisfied with the level of communication from their managers? It may be that the managers are not properly appraising their employees or that employees are not correctly completing satisfaction survey. The kitchens of the RC Hotel Company are an excellent case analysis to discern whether or not performance and satisfaction relate. The implementation of the employee survey, as well as the performance appraisal allow the managers and employees of the kitchen to communicate on a level that is conducive to creating a better and more efficient kitchen. By adhering to the standards and policies of the company, the kitchen has every opportunity to create a work environment that allows the employees’ satisfaction, and performance to rival any other department within the property.

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The results of this research show qualified support of the research question; are employee satisfaction and performance related? The determination of a satisfied and productive employee begins with the human resources department and the selection process. The employment manager needs to select highly motivated and driven employees who understand and comply with the standards of the company. An integral step is to teach, educate, and communicate to the employee on the benefits and amenities that are available to them. The process continues with the proper communication to the employee from the managers of their tasks and daily responsibilities. The employee must have the proper tools and equipment to do those daily tasks. Also, the managers and employees must understand the importance of their opinions, suggestions and ratings from the employee satisfaction survey (employees) and the performance appraisals (managers). Finally, for the employee to be highly productive they must have a manager/supervisor that can effectively and efficiently communicate with them and establish goals (professional and personal). Ultimately, it is the employee and their beliefs and aspirations that hold the key to whether or not they will be satisfied and perform well. Limitations of Study 6.1 The final opinions and answering of the research question were limited to the kitchen employees of the RC Hotel Company. The only criterion for the performance appraisal was that the employees selected must have been working at the property for at least a year. The sample size was small, and while it provides insight into the kitchens of the property, the results cannot be generalized to other hotels. Limitations of the relationship between the employee performance appraisal and employee satisfaction survey are not related on an individual basis.

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References Bailey, A.D. 1992. Coping with employee turnover. Restaurants, USA, 12(5), 18-20. Bernstein, A. 1993. Making Teamwork Work and Appeasing Uncle Sam. Business Week, January 25, 101. Bluestone, B. & Bluestone, I. 1992. Negotiating the Future: A Labor Perspective on American Business. New York: Basic Books. Bowen, J. 1997. Responsive Communication: The key to Business Development and Service Improvement. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 9(7), 345-349. Chase, R.B., & Aquilano, N.J. 1992. Production and operations management: A life-cycle approach (4th ed.). Homewood Il: Richard D. Irwin. Eby, L.; Freeman, D.; Rush, M.; Lance, C. 1999. Motivational Bases of Affective Organizational Commitment: A Partial Test of an Integrative Theoretical Model. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 72(4), 463-483. Ghauri, P.; Gronhaug, K.; & Kristianslund, I. 1995. Research Methods in Business Studies. A practical guide, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire: Prentice Hall. Hackman, J.R. 1977. Work design. In J.R. Hackman & J.L. Suttle (Eds.), Improving life at work: Behavioral science approaches to organizational change. 96-162.Glenview, IL: Scott, Foresman. Hoerr, J. 1989. The Payoff from Teamwork: the Gains Cue Substantial-So Why Isn’t It Spreading Faster? Business Week, July 10, 58-59. Hopkins, D.E., Vaden, A.G., & Vaden, R.E. 1980. Some aspects of organization identification among school food service employees. School Food Service Research Review, 4(1), 34-42. Huselid, M.A. 1995. The Impact of Human Resource Management Practices on Turnover, Productivity, and Corporate Financial Performance. Academy of Management Journal, 38, 635-627. Jackson, S. 1983. Participation in Decision Making as a Strategy for Reducing JobRelated Strain. Journal of Applied Psychology, 68(1), 3-19. Koch, M.J. & McGrath, R.G. 1996. Improving Labor Productivity: Human Resource Management Policies Do Matter. Strategic Management Journal, 17, 335-354. Konz, S. & Maxwell, J. 1980. The Basic Four of Work. Unpublished Manuscript. Manhattan, KS: Kansas State University. Olsen, M.D. & Meyer, M.K. 1987. Current perspectives on productivity in food service and suggestions for the future. School Food Service Research Review, 11(2), 87-93. Peterson, D. & Hillkirk, J. 1991. A Better Idea: Redefining the Way American Companies Work. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. Pierce, J.; Rubenfeld, S.; & Morgan, S. 1991. Employee Ownership: A Conceptual Model of Process and Effect. Academy of Management Review, 16(1), 121-144. Rihele, H. 1993. Employee turnover rates dropped in 1991. Restaurants, USA, 13(6), 42-43. Rue, L.W., & Byars, L.L. 1989. Management: Theory and application (5th Ed.). Homewood, IL: Richard D. Irwin. Schwab, D.P. & Cummings, L.L. 1970. Theories of performance and satisfaction: A review. Industrial Relations, 9(4), 408-430.

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Shearman, A.W., Snell, S., & Bohlander, G.W. 1997. Managing Human Resources (11th ed.). Cincinnati: South-Western Publishing. Smith, P.C., Kendall, L.M. & Hulin, C.L.1969. The measurement of satisfaction in work and retirement: A strategy for the study of attitudes. Chicago: Rand McNally. Soonhee, K. 2002. Participative Management and Job Satisfaction: Lessons for Management Leadership. Public Administration Review, 62(2), 231-242. Spears, M. 2000. Foodservice Organizations. A Managerial and Systems Approach. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Strauss, A. & Corbin, J. 1990. Basics of Qualitative Research Grounded Theory Procedures and Techniques, Newbury Park: Sage. Thomas, K. & Velthouse, B. 1990. Cognitive Elements of Empowerment: An Interpretative Model of Intrinsic Task Motivation. Academy of Management Review, 15(4), 666-681. University of Wisconsin-Madison. 1967. Methodology manual for work sampling: Productivity of dietary personnel. Madison: Author.

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Vita Melissa Bradberry Sims was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and received her Bachelors Degree in Culinary Arts from Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, Louisiana in the fall of 2002. Melissa is one of the first six Master of Science graduates of the Lester Kabacoff School of Hotel Restaurant Tourism Administration at the University of New Orleans.

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References: Bailey, A.D. 1992. Coping with employee turnover. Restaurants, USA, 12(5), 18-20. Bernstein, A. 1993. Making Teamwork Work and Appeasing Uncle Sam. Business Week, January 25, 101. Bluestone, B. & Bluestone, I. 1992. Negotiating the Future: A Labor Perspective on American Business. New York: Basic Books. Bowen, J. 1997. Responsive Communication: The key to Business Development and Service Improvement. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 9(7), 345-349. Chase, R.B., & Aquilano, N.J. 1992. Production and operations management: A life-cycle approach (4th ed.). Homewood Il: Richard D. Irwin. Eby, L.; Freeman, D.; Rush, M.; Lance, C. 1999. Motivational Bases of Affective Organizational Commitment: A Partial Test of an Integrative Theoretical Model. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 72(4), 463-483. Ghauri, P.; Gronhaug, K.; & Kristianslund, I. 1995. Research Methods in Business Studies. A practical guide, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire: Prentice Hall. Hackman, J.R. 1977. Work design. In J.R. Hackman & J.L. Suttle (Eds.), Improving life at work: Behavioral science approaches to organizational change. 96-162.Glenview, IL: Scott, Foresman. Hoerr, J. 1989. The Payoff from Teamwork: the Gains Cue Substantial-So Why Isn’t It Spreading Faster? Business Week, July 10, 58-59. Hopkins, D.E., Vaden, A.G., & Vaden, R.E. 1980. Some aspects of organization identification among school food service employees. School Food Service Research Review, 4(1), 34-42. Huselid, M.A. 1995. The Impact of Human Resource Management Practices on Turnover, Productivity, and Corporate Financial Performance. Academy of Management Journal, 38, 635-627. Jackson, S. 1983. Participation in Decision Making as a Strategy for Reducing JobRelated Strain. Journal of Applied Psychology, 68(1), 3-19. Koch, M.J. & McGrath, R.G. 1996. Improving Labor Productivity: Human Resource Management Policies Do Matter. Strategic Management Journal, 17, 335-354. Konz, S. & Maxwell, J. 1980. The Basic Four of Work. Unpublished Manuscript. Manhattan, KS: Kansas State University. Olsen, M.D. & Meyer, M.K. 1987. Current perspectives on productivity in food service and suggestions for the future. School Food Service Research Review, 11(2), 87-93. Peterson, D. & Hillkirk, J. 1991. A Better Idea: Redefining the Way American Companies Work. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. Pierce, J.; Rubenfeld, S.; & Morgan, S. 1991. Employee Ownership: A Conceptual Model of Process and Effect. Academy of Management Review, 16(1), 121-144. Rihele, H. 1993. Employee turnover rates dropped in 1991. Restaurants, USA, 13(6), 42-43. Rue, L.W., & Byars, L.L. 1989. Management: Theory and application (5th Ed.). Homewood, IL: Richard D. Irwin. Schwab, D.P. & Cummings, L.L. 1970. Theories of performance and satisfaction: A review. Industrial Relations, 9(4), 408-430. 60 Shearman, A.W., Snell, S., & Bohlander, G.W. 1997. Managing Human Resources (11th ed.). Cincinnati: South-Western Publishing. Smith, P.C., Kendall, L.M. & Hulin, C.L.1969. The measurement of satisfaction in work and retirement: A strategy for the study of attitudes. Chicago: Rand McNally. Soonhee, K. 2002. Participative Management and Job Satisfaction: Lessons for Management Leadership. Public Administration Review, 62(2), 231-242. Spears, M. 2000. Foodservice Organizations. A Managerial and Systems Approach. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Strauss, A. & Corbin, J. 1990. Basics of Qualitative Research Grounded Theory Procedures and Techniques, Newbury Park: Sage. Thomas, K. & Velthouse, B. 1990. Cognitive Elements of Empowerment: An Interpretative Model of Intrinsic Task Motivation. Academy of Management Review, 15(4), 666-681. University of Wisconsin-Madison. 1967. Methodology manual for work sampling: Productivity of dietary personnel. Madison: Author. 61 Vita Melissa Bradberry Sims was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and received her Bachelors Degree in Culinary Arts from Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, Louisiana in the fall of 2002. Melissa is one of the first six Master of Science graduates of the Lester Kabacoff School of Hotel Restaurant Tourism Administration at the University of New Orleans. 62