“Going beyond to deliver hip hospitality”: exploring motivation and job satisfaction of hospitality workers in Dubai

Purpose This paper aims to explore the motivation and job satisfaction of employees in the hospitality industry in Dubai, using Herzberg’s two-factor theory of motivation. Design/methodology/approach This qualitative research encompassed 20 interviews with employees at four different job levels from a 4-star hotel in Dubai, selected through purposive and quota sampling. Findings Findings show that achievement, recognition and responsibility are essential motivators. However, these were sources of dissatisfaction amongst employees from the lower job levels. Leader quality is crucial to hygiene. Moreover, it is a key motivator and a powerful source of job satisfaction. Research limitations/implications This cross-sectional study entailed a small sample size of 20 employees from one hotel in Dubai. Therefore, the only generalisation to theory is permitted and not to a broader population, such as hospitality workers from other hotels in Dubai or any of the other six United Arab Emirates. Practical implications The two specific human resource programmes and practices presented in this paper can exert a positive influence on employees’ motivation and job satisfaction. This, in turn, will bring the hotel in a strong position to compete for motivated and competent human capital to deliver high quality guest services to gain a competitive advantage in the hospitality industry in Dubai. Originality/value This paper contributes to the literature first, by identifying the type of motivation of the hotel’s employees as follows: “prosocial motivation”, evoked by satisfaction with motivators and hygienes. Second, by presenting a “Satisfier and Hygiene model for Prosocial Motivation and Job Satisfaction”, illustrating the reciprocal relation between prosocial motivation and job satisfaction.