Appendix G Research Information

Research Participant Information Sheet

Overview: I am conducting this research as part of my PhD program at Bond University. This research will
undertake a critical assessment of the Job Embeddedness (JE) concept within the hospitality industry. While
many studies have investigated the job related factors that contribute to turnover, such as job satisfaction and
organisational commitment, this research investigates what makes people stay with an employer using the
job embeddedness construct, with its focus on both organisational (on-the-job) and community (off-the-job)
dimensions. The research explores the effect of organisational culture and human resource retention
strategies on these dimensions.

Methods: The methodological approach involves an online survey instrument that examines participant’s
intention to stay in their jobs. Data analysis will focus on factors that motivate people to stay in their
employment.

What is involved for participants? Participation will involve an online survey which can be typically
answered by participants within 10-15 minutes. Online surveys can be completed anytime within the
research period. As an incentive to participate, you have the option to enter a prize draw at the completion of
the survey.

How will my information be used? The information you provide will be considered strictly confidential.
Participants are not required to identify themselves in anyway. The summary results will be used for my PhD
thesis and associated publications, such as journal and conference papers. Aggregate data, that does not
identify individual responses, will be provided to each participating organisation to measure against industry
benchmarks. Demographic information will be removed so that responses cannot be linked to personal
information.

Participation and withdrawal: Participation is completely voluntary. Your employer will not
know whether you have participated or not. You may withdraw from this study at any time, without
prejudice or penalty, by exiting the survey prior to completion. Please note that it will not be possible to
remove information you have provided once you have completed the survey as data collected will not be able
to be linked to individuals.

Risks and Confidentiality: Your participation in this study should involve no risks beyond those of
everyday living. However, you may choose not to answer specific questions in the survey without
explanation. All information collected in this study will be confidential. The data will only be seen by
members of our research team and will be stored securely for a period of 5 years then destroyed. Your
information will only be used for research purposes. Your personal information will not be identifiable at
any stage of the writing process.

Finding out more about the study: Please feel free to contact me (on 0413 001288 or lyam@bond.edu.au)
or Associate Professor Mike Raybould (on 07 5595 1659 or mraybould@bond.edu.au) at any time during the
study to receive a summary of progress for the research.

Ethical clearance and contacts: This study has been cleared in accordance with the Bond University
Human Research Ethics Committee (BUHREC), within the guidelines of the National Statement on Ethical
Conduct in Human Research. Questions or concerns can be addressed to me (on 0413 001288 or
lyam@bond.edu.au), or to the Manager, Research Ethics Officer on 07 – 5595 4194 or buhrec@bond.edu.au.

Privacy Statement: The information collected is confidential and will not be disclosed to third parties. Your
confidential responses will be combined with other participants and published only as aggregate data. Your
confidentiality will be safeguarded at all times.

Thank you for your help with this research.

Laurina Yam
PhD Research Candidate
Bond Business School
Bond University, Gold Coast, Australia.
Appendix H Research Consent Form
Research Consent Form - Survey
Researcher: Laurina Yam
Chief Investigator: Associate Professor Mike Raybould
Institution: Bond University
Project Title: What makes people stay? An investigation of the application of the job embeddedness
construct in the hospitality environment
Ethics Approval #15517

I have been given information about the research project entitled “What makes people stay? An investigation
of the application of the job embeddedness construct in the hospitality environment”. I understand that this
research is part of a PhD program of Laurina Yam, with Associate Professor Mike Raybould as chief
investigator at Bond University’s Bond Business School. I understand that, if I consent to participate in this
project, I will be asked to answer questions about my perspectives on my employment during an online
survey taken within the research period.

I understand that the information I may provide will be considered confidential. The summary results will be
used for Laurina Yam’s thesis, other research purposes and associated publications, such as journal and
conference papers. Aggregate data, that does not identify individual responses, will be provided to each
participating organisation to measure against industry benchmarks. Demographic information will be
removed so that responses cannot be linked to personal information. I consent for my responses to be used in
that manner providing my identity is not disclosed.

I understand that my participation in this research is voluntary, I am free to refuse to participate and I am free
to withdraw from the research at any time during the online survey. My refusal to participate or withdrawal
of consent will not affect my relationship with Bond University and it will not be known to my organisation.
If I have any enquiries about the research, I can contact Laurina Yam (on 0413 001288 or
lyam@bond.edu.au) and Associate Professor Mike Raybould (on 07 5595 1659 or
mraybould@bond.edu.au). If I have any concerns or complaints regarding the way the research is or has
been conducted, I can contact the Manager, Research Ethics Officer on 07 – 5595 4194 or
buhrec@bond.edu.au.

By signing below I am indicating my consent to participate in the above-mentioned research as it has been
described to me in the information sheet.

Signature / Date
Appendix I JE Organisation Items & Factor Loading (3 factors)
Domain Item source Item description Factor loading
Dimension
Factor 1 Factor 2 Factor 3
Organisatio Link Original– In my job, I .610 .453
n reworded interact
items with a lot of
co-workers.
In my job, a .555 .442
lot of co-
workers are
highly
dependent
on me.
In my job, I .574
am on a lot
of different
work teams.
New items I know a lot .517 .432
of people in
this
organisatio
n.
I have .621 .552
many
friends at
work.
If I left this .623 .420 .406
job, I would
miss my
friends
from work.
Fit Original My job .681
items utilizes my
skills and
talents well.
I feel like I .734
am a good
match for
this
organisatio
n.
If I stay .773 -.373
with this
organisatio
n, I will be
able to
achieve
most of my
goals.
New items I feel that .765
my
organisatio
n’s culture
and values
are closely
aligned
with my
own.
 Sacrifice Original I have a lot .747 -.334
items of freedom
on this job
to decide
how to
pursue my
goals.
I would .670
sacrifice a
lot a lot if I
left this job.
I believe .776 -.345
the
prospects
for
continuing
employmen
t with this
organisatio
n are
excellent.
New items If I left this .679 .358
job, I would
lose a lot of
desirable
benefits.
I have a .644
mentor at
work.
If I left this .515 .605
job, I would
lose the
status and
reputation I
have earned
here.
Extraction Method: Principle Component Analysis. Rotation Method: Oblique Rotation. Factor loading ≥
±0.3.
Appendix J In-Depth Interview Transcripts - Study 1
Interview 1
Housekeeping Supervisor Tenure: 15 years Male, Caucasian, 40+
Interview transcript:
I: Tell me a bit about your industry experience? Why are you still here after 15 years?
P: The reason why I am still here is the family-oriented atmosphere, it’s a big part, when you see people in
the corridor, it’s friendly. I am a people person, I enjoy it. We’ve had people from the old Holiday Inn to
help out and to work and they have noticed the different compared to another hotel. The atmosphere is really
good. It’s also loyalty, I came from NZ, I sold up everything and came to look for a job, didn’t work out at
first and I started to stress, but I got a phone call from them and got a casual position here. It’s loyalty,
because they looked after me so I am still here. There’s times of the year when situation is a bit stressful,
because of wage costs, and cut backs, they don’t really like redundancies but they move people into other
areas where they can. I started off casual in housekeeping, then I was a house-person, then when the
supervisor job in the laundry came up, I applied and was successful.
I: Have you ever looked for another job or had turned down another job offer in the past 15 years?
P: Yes, I have applied for the executive housekeeper position here but didn’t succeed, so I was looking to
stay here. And I did try (and will try again) to get into the new hospital laundry, but I didn’t hear back from
them, so I need to redo it again as the hospital is opening soon. I want to help out sick people. I wouldn’t
hesitate to go if I get the job, I think it will be a good career move.
I: Do you feel that your organisation is supportive of your personal and professional goals?
P: Yes, professional – plenty of training, we have a PDR (personal develop review) & PDP (personal
develop plan), they as where you want to be and what you want to learn. They do focus on that, they gave
me information etc for my Exe Housekeeper interviews. We had a new executive housekeeper and as times
changed and my job has changed for me, it became challenging for me again, which is good. I have to look
at ways to save costs etc. I think there are good promotional opportunities here, but they want you to drive
for it, they want somebody that is driven, and you will get better results out of them.
I: Do you feel you are rewarded for being here for so long? What sort of perks does this company offer you?
P: Benefits are probably better there at the new GC hospital. I’ve been here 15 years and I only used overseas
accommodation discount once. I don’t use the staff rate for F&B here but I only have been here about once
or twice in the whole time I was here. For your birthday, they give you a $50 voucher and you can use it
where you want in-
house. Nothing special for long-service employees, I got my 5 years gift but then it stopped. It’s a bit
disheartening for some people, but it doesn’t bother me.
I: If another job comes up near-by, say another hotel, interstate, or overseas, and they are paying a little
more, does the company have any pull in holding you here?
P: Only, if it is the new GC hospital, it’s more to do with the helping of sick people. The laundry will be
bigger there and will be a bigger challenge. I have been in some big commercial laundries, and my
background is from laundries. I have been in laundries where they stone-wash new denim. There is not much
of a difference between the laundry here and another hotel, so I won’t go there because it would be the same.
My hobby is building computers on the weekend, it’s something different for me. But the job is always the
same, for the first few weeks, it might be different but then it is always the same, the repetitiveness will kick
in, so I don’t see the point in moving.
I: Do you feel that the GC is a safe and convenient community to live in?
P: I have two young children, one just started school. My partner is not working, she is a stay-at-home mum,
I was from NZ and I want to go back to NZ at some stage, but I am not sure when. I don’t feel tied to the
GC. The GC has changed for me, it used to be nice, it is rough now, not family tourism anymore, I have lost
the love I have for the GC and I want to go back home. I am from Christchurch, so I think next year it is
going to boom, so I am happy to move back to NZ and see where it leads me.
Interview 2
Guest Service Agent Tenure: 22 years Female, Caucasian, 40+
Interview transcript:
I: Tell me a bit about your industry experience? Why are you still here after 22 years?
P: I guess it just happened, I started in F&B when I was 20, then moved across to front office and full time
for about a year in front office, and then it was 7 years at the hotel at that point, then I had my first baby,
since then I have 4 children now so it was pretty much a year maternity leave in between each child. When I
got back from my first maternity leave, I got 3 set days and set hours, and I guess the main thing is the work-
life balance. Because they accommodate, I know exactly what hours I am doing and I guess in this industry
is hard, I am the only one in front office that has been able to secure that. Before I know it it’s 22 years and I
am still here. I like front office best. I was supervisor in F&B but I was probably a little more career
orientated back then, but family took priority.
I: Have you ever looked for another job or had turned down another job offer in the past 22 years?
P: I have looked and I did actually try at another industry at Fitness First during one of my maternity leaves,
doing the same sort of things at front desk but I absolutely hated it. So I came back here after and ended up
staying. The grass is not always greener on the other side. It was such a mess as they had just opened and I
just didn’t like the vibe. I found the people I work with is a big asset, the turnover is quite large here but
typically it’s a good team, we’ve had a few not so good, but on a whole, they have hired good people and it
has been consistently a good team, that certainly helps.
I: Do you feel that your organisation is supportive of your personal and professional goals?
P: Absolutely, I guess my priority is my family, they did offer me opportunities to apply when positions
came up but I can’t give what they required in those positions. In that respect, I guess sometime it’s like what
have I done with my life as far as work goes, I feel like ‘who stays on reception for that long?’I work 3 days
a week including a Sunday shift so I can still take the kids to school on the other days. My mother-in-law
lives with us and she helps with the kids and it just works out well. I wish I don’t have to work Sundays but I
can’t have it all, I can’t afford to give up Sundays as far as pay goes, it is almost worth two day’s pay, I am
happy that I still get Saturdays with them. If they are stuck, I am happy to help out and come in for an extra
shift, while the kids are still at school. I know that company will support me whenever I am ready to move
up.
I: Do you feel you are rewarded for being here for so long? What sort of perks does this company offer you?
P: Yeah, I think the flexible time is the best, but I have used overseas accommodation with such a big family,
it makes it easier. Staff canteen is free, uniform and car-parking is free. But for me, I have my set days and if
I ever need a Sunday off, I don’t’ think I have been knocked back. If I go and work for another hotel, I would
lose the history and loyalty and seniority. I don’t have a title of a senior employee but I think I’m still
regarded highly as the senior staff and I get to do what I want to do up in front office.
I: If another job comes up near-by, and they are paying a little more, does the company have any pull in
holding you here?
P: If it was set hours and more money, then I definitely would, for example if it was 3 weekdays and I get to
take home the same money, so I don’t have to work the Sunday, I definitely would…because I would really
like to work weekdays.
I: Do you feel that the GC is a safe and convenient community to live in?
P: Not as safe as it used to be. I live in Robina and I don’t go into Surfers. My husband works as an
electrician here on the GC. We have recently discussed the possibility of Matt going to work in the mines
and us relocating to WA, toying around with the idea…we have three boys and a girl and we thought the
boys would be all fine with it but it would be detrimental to up-root my daughter. The kids have sports and
swimming and surf clubs and she is on the brink of really succeeding and we think if we take her away from
her coaches she will suffer for that. She is 13 and she struggled with school and she only just starting to get
her confidence and if we take her away… it would be a big factor for her. We probably wouldn’t be for a
little while and Matt doesn’t have a job offer yet but if we move it will be for Matt’s career, not mine.
Interview 3
Guest Service Agent Tenure: 17 years Female, Caucasian, 40+
Interview transcript:
I: Tell me a bit about your industry experience? Why are you still here after 17 years?
P: I am still here because the company also works with me. I have been a duty manager and then I went on
maternity leave and they were very flexible. The first time I came back my daughter was 5 months old, I
came back on a casual basis and they would work the hours around me. Then I had my second child, when
they got to the stage of day-care, they were flexible with me. We work together, I think it’s because we have
been here for so long, I think it’s just give and take. I enjoy the people I work with, it’s a good team, it’s like
a big family up there. I like that we are not in the heart of Surfers.
I: Have you ever looked for another job or had turned down another job offer in the past 17 years?
P: I have been offered other positions, at other hotels, namely those people who have left here and gone
elsewhere, and they have asked if I would like to come over. Really at the end of the day, juggling with
being mum with kids, they have always done the right thing by me [loyalty] and I am happy here. I am loyal
to the company and it goes both ways and it works.
I: Do you feel that your organisation is supportive of your personal and professional goals?
P: Definitely, they are always asking where I want to go and if I always just want to be a GSA. I am at the
moment but it doesn’t mean that 5 years down the track I may not want to step back up, I have kept my skills
up and they have provided good training. If I showed an interest in a couple of year, they would be an
organisation that you can just walk down to HR… about every 6 months we have a performance evaluation,
I am happy with what I am doing at the moment. The kids are 8 & 10, I am half way there.
I: Do you feel you are rewarded for being here for so long? What sort of perks does this company offer you?
P: We get our uniform and meals and parking free. I use the discounted accommodation, the benefits are
good.
I: If another job comes up near-by, interstate, or overseas, and they are paying a little more, does the
company have any pull in holding you here?
P: At the moment, my life is not about money, it is about what works, the family works well, I enjoy coming
to work and it is not stressful. It has it times and its moments but it works really well, I am happy. It’s not
about money. When I was younger and before the kids, it was all about me wanting to be a manager and I
was to get further, but when I am not the main bread-winning, for me it is just about the family.

I: Do you feel that the GC is a safe and convenient community to live in?
P: I am down at Burleigh, I think that is the better end of the coast compared to Southport etc. My husband
works for a company on the GC but he works 2 days in Sydney. I wouldn’t move to Sydney as I won’t have
what I have here down in Sydney. The kids are happy, this is home, at the moment I won’t move until the
kids leave home.