Human resource management in tourism: a small island perspective

Abstract

PurposeConceptually, this paper aims to consider the nexus created when the characteristics of the tourism sector workplace environment intersect with the contextual influences of the economic, social and labor market attributes of small islands.Design/methodology/approachSeveral studies relating to the employment and skills environment of human resource management and development in small island tourism contexts are synthesized.FindingsSeasonality, limited skills within the local labor market, access to formal education and training are identified as issues that impact on sustainability of employment, service and product quality. Further, while sourcing and recruitment of staff, employee retention, training and development, and career progression appear to mirror those faced by larger, frequently metropolitan locations. However, small islandness imposes particular nuances upon the management of human resources, directly related to location and scale. Thus, small island environments, the global economy, technology and employee mobility (inward and outward) exacerbate structural and cultural dimensions and issues in island tourism.Research limitation/implicationsThis paper provides an invaluable framework for future research, both comparative and specific.Practical implicationsManagement responses should be both local and global in focus, acknowledging the particularities of small islands, generic tourism sector influences and the effects of global mobility on the workforce and on management.Originality/valueThis synthesis addresses the effects of global, local and location specific dynamics on human resource management and development issues and demonstrates that the challenges faced by organizations in island tourism contexts have dimensions that set them apart in both kind and extent from other tourism environments.