Capability, optimal functioning, and sustainable employability of workers in Jamaica’s service sector: A generational perspective

Abstract

This thesis focused on hotel workers’ work capabilities, well-being, flourishing at work and sustainable employability within a Jamaica context. It captured the values hotel workers view as crucial for their work roles and analysed them within the context of Jamaica among three generations. It also sought to predict the relationship between work capabilities and workability, job performance and mental health of hotel workers in Jamaica. Manuscript 1 focused on the work capabilities of hotel workers from the perspective of the capability approach and sustainable employability model. The study explored the capability set of hotel workers from three generational age cohorts younger (20-35), middle-aged (36-50) and older than 50. The study involved a convenience sample of 60 participants from four hotels in Jamaica's North Coast regions. The participants were distributed across 11 focus groups for the study. The study resulted in nine themes concerning values of hotel workers across varying age groups. These include having and applying knowledge and skills, developing new knowledge and skills, involvement in decision-making, developing and navigating relationships, setting goals and meeting deadlines, earning a sufficient and secure income, contributing to something valuable, making a difference by helping others, and an enabling work environment. Although shared themes were present, unique nuances were found within each age group. For example, younger workers were driven by personal development, autonomy, and financial security, while the middle-aged group leaned more towards the practical application of skills, decision-making control, and the importance of income for family needs. The oldest group valued lifelong learning, positive interpersonal relationships, and aligning personal goals with company objectives. Study 2 aimed to investigate the work capability and capability set of workers in the hotel sector in Jamaica. A convenience sample (N = 344) was taken of hotel workers across four hotels in the North Coast regions of Jamaica. The Capability Set for Work Questionnaire, the Work Role Functioning Questionnaire 2.0 (WRFQ) and the Work Performance Questionnaire (HPQ) were used to collect data. The results showed that the highest capabilities were using knowledge and skills, building and maintaining meaningful relationships at work, developing knowledge and skills, and setting goals. The lowest capabilities were earning a good income, involvement in important decisions, and contributing to something valuable. Four capability classes were identified, with only 35.52% of the hotel workers in the robust capability set, indicating that they have a range of capabilities. In addition, the work capability classes were significantly and positively associated with hotel workers’ job performance evaluation. Therefore, ensuring sustainable employability is a severe challenge for hotel workers in Jamaica. These findings underscore the need for hotels to improve decision-making and wage-earning capabilities to enhance sustainable employability. Study 3 aimed to investigate the relationship between the capabilities of hotel workers and their mental health. The study also focused on the relationship between the capabilities, gender, and age of hotel workers. The sample (N = 344) consisted of hotel workers spread across three, four and five-star hotels in the North Coast regions of Jamaica. This study revealed a link between age and mental health among hotel workers. However, age was not significantly associated with the mental health of hotel workers when work capabilities were considered. The study’s findings demonstrate that hotel workers exhibited higher emotional, psychological, and social well-being levels, contingent on the work capability set. These insights underline the importance of work capabilities to ensure the sustainable employability of hotel workers in Jamaica. Therefore, it is vital to investigate how developing work capabilities of hotel workers could contribute to their mental health. Recommendations for future research were made.