Date of Conferral
12-8-2025
Date of Award
December 2025
Degree
Doctor of Public Administration (D.P.A)
School
Management
Advisor
Ashley Reibel
Abstract
A lack of effective employee engagement strategies in the accommodations industry can undermine retention and productivity, imposing costs on organizations and harming morale. Grounded in Kahn’s employee engagement theory, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry was to identify and explore the effective employee engagement strategies that accommodations leaders use to increase employee retention and productivity. Participants were six leaders of accommodation industry organizations in the southern United States. Data were collected through semistructured interviews and analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s six-step thematic analysis. Five key themes were revealed: (a) implementing employee recognition programs, (b) providing career development and training opportunities, (c) providing effective communication and ongoing feedback, (d) promoting work-life balance and schedule flexibility, and (e) promoting consistency and accountability. Key recommendations include acknowledging employees’ contributions, offering professional development opportunities, maintaining transparent and consistent communication, and fostering a culture of well-being and accountability. The implications for positive social change include the potential for accommodations industry leaders to adopt these strategies, thereby increasing employee engagement, which may support improved productivity, guest satisfaction, and workforce stability within the scope of the organizations studied.
Recommended Citation
Felding, Lathoya, "Engagement Strategies to Increase Employee Retention and Productivity Within the Accommodation Industry" (2025). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 18865.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/18865
