Beyond the paycheck: rethinking HRM practices in a small-island food tourism destination

Purpose This study investigates the determinants of job satisfaction and turnover intention among hospitality employees in a small-island food tourism destination, with particular emphasis on work-related issues, workplace quality, compensation, and supervisory/managerial support, as well as the mediating effects of job insecurity and work-induced stress. Design/methodology/approach Adopting a quantitative research design, data were collected from 270 employees working in four- and five-star hotels in Cyprus. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was employed to test the hypothesized relationships among eight latent constructs, and bootstrapping procedures were used to examine the mediating roles of job insecurity and work-induced stress in the relationship between job satisfaction and turnover intention. Findings Results indicate that workplace quality and supervisory/managerial support are strongly associated with job satisfaction, whereas work-related issues and compensation practices are not. Job satisfaction is negatively associated with job insecurity, work-induced stress, and turnover intention; however, mediation analysis reveals that job insecurity partially mediates the relationship between job satisfaction and turnover intention, whereas work-induced stress does not. These findings suggest that relational and environmental aspects of HRM are particularly critical for sustaining workforce stability within food tourism-oriented hospitality environments. Practical implications The findings underscore the critical importance of fostering supportive leadership and a psychologically positive work environment in small island food tourism destinations. Industry stakeholders should prioritize employment stability and relational HR practices over purely transactional rewards to enhance employee satisfaction and reduce turnover. Moreover, for destinations like Cyprus, which depend on food tourism as a strategic branding tool, optimal HRM practices are vital to ensuring culinary sustainability and preserving cultural authenticity. Originality/value By contextualizing HRM practices within the unique socio-economic and operational conditions of a small-island food tourism destination, this study challenges dominant assumptions in hospitality HRM and highlights job insecurity – rather than work stress, which seems to be normalized – as the key psychological mechanism linking job satisfaction to turnover intention.