Promoting employee service behaviour through human resource management practices: an exploratory study in the Irish hospitality industry

Abstract

Purpose: The primary intent of this study is to explain the relationship between specific HRM practices and employee service behaviour by determining the influence on each other. Realising the importance of 'service behaviour' in the service sector industries, specific HRM practices were identified as recruitment selection, performance appraisal and compensation / benefit and employee service behaviours were described into two forms, extra-role service behaviour and role-prescribed service behaviour. Then the attention goes on how those practices relate to specific service behaviours. Methodology/Approach: An exploratory survey was conducted through semi-structured interviews and questionnaires, to the restaurant managers and the frontline employees who are in direct contact with the customers in the Irish Hospitality Industry. The significant variables for the study were; recruitment and selection, performance appraisal, compensation / benefit, extra-role service behaviour and role-prescribed service behaviour. Findings/Conclusion: The findings showed that the HRM practices (such as recruitment and selection, performance appraisal, compensation / benefit) are significantly positively related to employee service behaviours (include extra-role and role-prescribed) where performance appraisal has the maximum effect as revealed by the employee working in the Irish restaurant sector. It is encouraging that the findings agree with the literatures that there is variation in the influence of specific HRM practices on employee service behaviours in terms of the geographical area of the study and the type of the industry. Originality/Value: Quite a lot of studies have been carried out regarding HRM practices and employee performance in different parts of the world in different industries (hotel, retail, bank etc.). But this study has a value added compared with other studies because it focuses on the restaurant sector only. In this sector, quick response, voluntary manner and predicting capacity of the employee are essential for better service, which are represented by employee's extra-role service behaviours. This study provides the evidence to the Managers or HR managers in this sector that HRM practices affect employee service behaviours and performance appraisal has the maximum effect, so it should be given more attention while looking for better service from the employee.