From turnover to talent: seasonality-oriented human resource practices in hospitality and tourism

Purpose This study investigates human resource management (HRM) practices in seasonal employment within the hospitality and tourism industry, aiming to identify key challenges, trends and theoretical contributions while offering insights for more effective workforce management in highly fluctuating employment settings. Design/methodology/approach The study employs a quantitative systematic literature review using bibliometric techniques, including co-citation analysis, thematic mapping, thematic evolution analysis, and collaboration network analysis, based on data retrieved from the Web of Science (WoS) database. Findings Key issues in seasonal employment include employee satisfaction, performance management, and the impact of seasonality on workforce dynamics. The study highlights significant theoretical contributions to the resource-based view (RBV), human capital theory, institutional theory and contingency theory. Practical implications The study provides actionable insights for HR managers, focussing on strategies to effectively manage seasonal employees in hospitality and tourism. Originality/value This research offers a comprehensive analysis of HRM in seasonal employment and proposes a research agenda calling for more empirical, comparative and longitudinal studies to enhance workforce management in the industry.