Supervisor support and turnover in hotels: Does subjective well-being mediate the relationship?

• Published in: International journal of contemporary hospitality management 2019-01, Vol.31 (1), p.496-512
• Main Authors: Gordon, Susan, Tang, Chun-Hung (Hugo), Day, Jonathon, Adler, Howard
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Burnout; Employee involvement; Employee turnover; Employees; Employment; Hospitality industry; Hotels & motels; Job satisfaction; Mediators; Stress; Studies; Supervisors; Variables; Work environment; Working conditions
• ISSN: 0959-6119; 1757-1049
• DOI: 10.1108/IJCHM-10-2016-0565

PurposeThis paper aims to examine whether employee subjective well-being acts as a mediator in the relationship between perceived supervisor support and turnover intention within the context of select-service hotels.Design/methodology/approachThe sample included hourly employees in select-service hotels in the Midwest USA. The significance of the relationships was assessed using regression, and both the Sobel test and bootstrapping methods were performed to test the mediating effect of subjective well-being on the relationship between perceived supervisor support and turnover intention.FindingsThe results confirm subjective well-being acted as a partial mediator in the relationship between supervisor support and turnover intention. Employees who perceive higher levels of support from their supervisors are less likely to leave their organizations. At the same time, supervisor support also positively affects subjective well-being, which reduces turnover intention.Practical implicationsActions by supervisors’ impact the well-being of their employees, which in turn may influence whether an employee stays with the organization. Organizations could use management training and employee feedback on supervisor support to improve employee support mechanisms. Organizations should also pay attention to improving employee subjective well-being beyond the work place. Improving the well-being of employees and supporting employees can help reduce turnover and may increase employee satisfaction, guest satisfaction and profits.Originality/valueThis study is the first to show that subjective well-being mediates the relationship between supervisor support and turnover intention; and one of the few within the hospitality context to examine the constructs of subjective well-being, supervisor support and turnover together.