What is the role of place attachment and quality of life outcomes in employee retention?

Abstract

PurposeMaintaining human capital in the hotel industry is challenging due to high turnover. Through the implementation of circular economy theory, hotels are finding that human capital retention can be achieved via Quality of Life (QOL) outcomes by providing Corporate Social Resposibility (CSR) initiatives in the employee brand experience that focus on “place” attachment.Design/methodology/approachThe approach is qualitative and three interviews were conducted with professionals from luxury hotels. The results were then compiled for each interview to determine whether QOL outcomes were in fact experienced by the interviewee in their designated hotel company.FindingsBased on the interviews, all three hotels do incorporate CSR initiatives that focus on “place” attachment. Consequently, employees experience QOL outcomes that result in their retention within the hotel company.Originality/valueAn issue that hotels face is employee turnover. However, with experience-driven human capital management, retention can be achieved by ensuring that QOL outcomes are properly incorporated into the employee brand experience. In so doing, hotels can ensure that employees are engaged in their surrounding “place” through CSR initiatives that attach them to the local area.