Employee motivation and the impact of the pandemic on the hospitality industry

Orientation: The coronavirus pandemic, known as the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, has not just caused a serious health threat; it has also altered how we think about and handle various facets of our daily lives, careers and the global economy.Research purpose: This study sought to ascertain the COVID-19 pandemic’s effect and influence on employee motivation and the reward programmes provided by Cape Town hotels.Motivation for the study: The COVID-19 pandemic particularly hard hit the hospitality and tourism sectors, with hotels and restaurants being forced to close for a while before reopening at reduced capacity.Research approach/design and method: An exploratory qualitative research approach was followed, which allowed for open-ended questions for semi-structured interviews to collect data from managers (n = 14). The data were analysed using Creswell’s six-step approach.Main findings: The findings indicate that the COVID-19 pandemic had an unfavourable financial impact on hotels, causing permanent or temporary closure, retrenchments, layoffs, salary cuts and reduced shifts.Practical/managerial implications: The study supports the development and upkeep of equitable employee reward programmes for hotel owners, managers and human resource specialists.Contribution/value-add: This study’s findings provide insights into the rewards that motivate employees and assist hotels in strengthening their reward system strategies, specifically during a pandemic such as COVID-19.