The influence of workplace injury occurrences on productivity. A housekeeping manager’s perspective
Workplace injury occurrences
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.38140/ijms-2025.vol2.2.01Keywords:
Workplace, injury occurrence, housekeeping, productivity, housekeeping managersAbstract
This article aimed to investigate the influence of workplace injury occurrence on the productivity of housekeepers in graded hotels operating in the Free State province of South Africa. Drawing from an interpretive philosophical outlook, the study employed a qualitative research approach. To gather data that would address the research questions, the study utilised semi-structured interviews with a non-probability, purposefully selected sample of 13 housekeeping managers from graded hotels in the Free State province. The collected data was thematically analysed, which enabled the formulation of two themes and a sub-theme. The findings, as narrated by the respondents, indicated how injuries hindered housekeepers from performing their duties, leading to absenteeism, increased workload for the remaining staff, and fear of injury. These factors ultimately affect productivity, thereby compromising the establishments' ability to provide customer satisfaction, viability, profitability, and sustainability. Additionally, the findings highlighted that the fear employees experience due to injury occurrences often creates an anxious workforce, prompting them to seek alternative employment opportunities. This results in higher staff turnover, diminished experience within housekeeping, increased human resource costs, and negatively affects productivity while compromising the level of service offered to guests. In conclusion, the study recommends that proactive risk mitigation strategies, the institutionalisation of comprehensive health and safety protocols, investment in ergonomic tools and training, and the cultivation of an empathetic and responsive organisational culture be made imperative for the wellbeing of housekeeping personnel.
References
Abubakar, R. (2017). Influence of occupational hazards on employees’ job performance in housekeeping department of budget hotels in Kaduna metropolis, Nigeria [Unpublished master’s dissertation]. Kenyatta University.
Adams, M., Li, W. V., Saylor, K., & Rosenberg, M. A. S. (2020). Interventions to promote hotel workers' health: A scoping review. American Journal of Industrial Medicine, 63(12), 1095–1103. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajim.23190
Ahmed, T., Khan, M. S., Thitivesa, D., Siraphatthada, Y., & Phumdara, T. (2020). Impact of employee engagement and knowledge sharing on organisational performance: Study of HR challenges in the COVID-19 pandemic. Human Systems Management, 39(4), 589-601. https://doi.org/10.3233/HSM-201052
Ahn, Y. J., Yu, Y. U., & Kim, J. K. (2021). Accident cause factor of fires and explosions in tankers using fault tree analysis. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering, 9(8), 1-12. https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse9080844
Alliger, G. M., Cerasoli, C. P., Tannenbaum, S. I., & Vessey, W. B. (2015). Team resilience: How teams flourish under pressure. Organizational Dynamics, 44(3), 176-184. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.orgdyn.2015.05.003
Am, S. (2021). Occupational health hazards in the hospitality industry and their prevention. Egyptian Journal of Occupational Medicine, 45(1), 65-80. http://dx.doi.org/10.21608/ejom.2021.143334
Begasse de Dhaem, O., Foster-Chang, S., Chandrashekar, B., Chigirinsky, G., D’souza, T., Helmy, N. M., & Serra, S. (2024). Worker’s compensation injury and illness care: A global round table. Workplace Health & Safety, 72(4), 124-130.
Bhatnagar, E., & Nim, D. (2019). Impact of housekeeping services and practices on customer satisfaction and repeat business. Prabandhan: Indian Journal of Management, 12(8), 46-57. https://doi.org/10.17010/pijom/2019/v12i8/146417
Botelho, B. D. C. (2023). Why is it so difficult to retain and maintain talent in hospitality and tourism organizations [Unpublished master’s dissertation]. University Institute of Lisbon.
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2021). One size fits all? What counts as quality practice in (reflexive) thematic analysis? Qualitative Research in Psychology, 18(3), 328-352. https://doi.org/10.1080/14780887.2020.1769238
Cardoso, V. D. F., Moriguchi, C. S., & Sato, T. D. O. (2024). Sociodemographic, occupational, and health profile of Brazilian housekeepers and house cleaners—A hypothesis-generating study. Journal of Environmental and Occupational Health Policy, 34(3), 213-223. https://doi.org/10.1177/10482911241276377
Chela-Alvarez, X., Bulilete, O., Garcia-Illan, E., Vidal-Thomàs, M., & Llobera, J. (2022). Hotel housekeepers and occupational health: Experiences and perceived risks. Annals of Occupational & Environmental Medicine, 34, 1-14. https://doi.org/10.35371/aoem.2022.34.e29
Chen, C. C., Zou, S. S., & Chen, M. H. (2022). The fear of being infected and fired: Examining the dual job stressors of hospitality employees during COVID-19. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 102, 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2021.103131
de Bienassis, K., Slawomirski, L., & Klazinga, N. (2021). The economics of patient safety Part IV: Safety in the workplace: Occupational safety as the bedrock of resilient health systems. OECD Health Working Papers, 130, 1-101.
Famakin, I. O., Aigbavboa, C., & Molusiwa, R. (2020). Exploring challenges to implementing health and safety regulations in a developing economy. International Journal of Construction Management, 1(1), 1-35. https://doi.org/10.1080/15623599.2020.1850201
Free State. (2024). Free State province investment prospectus. https://www.freestateonline.fs.gov.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Free-State-Province-Investment-Prospectus-2024.pdf
Gubler, T., Larkin, I., & Pierce, L. (2018). Doing well by making well: The impact of corporate wellness programs on employee productivity. Management Science, 64(11), 4967-4987.
Hasnat, Q. (2021). An exploration of employee engagement and employee commitment in the London hotel sector: The perspectives of migrant housekeeping workers and their managers [Unpublished doctoral thesis, University of Brighton].
Heinrich, H. (1932). Industrial accident prevention. New York: McGraw Hill.
Hendi, O. M., Abdulaziz, A. A., Althaqafi, A. M., Hindi, A. M., Khan, S. A., & Atalla, A. A. (2019). Prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders and its correlation to physical activity among health specialty students. International Journal of Preventive Medicine, 10(48), 19-24. https://doi.org/10.4103/ijpvm.IJPVM_436_18
Hosseinian, S. S., & Torghabeh, Z. J. (2012). Major theories of construction accident causation models: A literature review. International Journal of Advances in Engineering & Technology, 4(2), 53-66.
Hsieh, Y. C. J., Lemke, M. K., Sönmez, S., & Apostolopoulos, Y. (2017). Perceived workplace mistreatment: Case of Latina hotel housekeepers. Work, 56(1), 55-65. https://doi.org/10.3233/WOR-162467
Huq, M., Shoeb, A. Z. M., Hossain, M. A., Fahad, S., Kamruzzaman, M. M., Javed, A., Saleem, N., Adnan, K. M., Sarker, S. A., Ali, M. Y., & Sarven, M. (2020). Environment, climate, plant and vegetation growth (1st ed.). Switzerland: Springer International Publishing.
Jayanti, J. (2023). Hotel housekeeping management: Changing trends and developments. Goodfellow Publishers. https://doi.org/10.2307/jj.28799932
Kaydos, W. (2020). Operational performance measurement: Increasing total productivity. Boca Raton: CRC Press.
Liu, H. C., Cheng, Y., & Ho, J. J. (2020). Associations of ergonomic and psychosocial work hazards with musculoskeletal disorders of specific body parts: A study of general employees in Taiwan. International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics, 76, 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ergon.2020.102935
Mammen, R. (2017). Assessment of physical workload, ergonomic problems and prevalence of pain among low wage hotel housekeepers in Orlando [Unpublished master’s dissertation]. University of Central Florida.
Martineli, K. (2017). What are the consequences of poor health & safety procedures? https://www.highspeedtraining.co.uk/hub/consequences-of-poor-health-safety-procedures/
Muntazeri, S., & Indrayanto, A. (2018). The impact of education, training, and work experience on job satisfaction and job performance. Journal Akuntansi, Manajemen Dan Ekonomi, 20(2), 50-69. https://doi.org/10.32424/1.jame.2018.20.2.1226
Mushai, A. (2018). Alternative funding options for occupational diseases in South African mines [Unpublished doctoral thesis]. University of Witwatersrand.
Musyoki, M. J. (2024). Ergonomics and work productivity in the Witwatersrand: A theoretical review. International Journal of Advanced Multidisciplinary Research and Studies, 4(3), 1477–1482. https://doi.org/10.62225/2583049X.2024.4.3.2966
Nimri, R., Kensbock, S., Bailey, J., Jennings, G., & Patiar, A. (2020). Realising dignity in housekeeping work: Evidence from five-star hotels. Journal of Human Resources in Hospitality & Tourism, 19(3), 368-387. https://doi.org/10.1080/15332845.2020.1737770
Obuobisa-Darko, T. (2022). Managing employees’ health, safety and anxiety in a pandemic. International Journal of Workplace Health Management, 15(2), 113-130. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJWHM-09-2021-0178
Odebiyi, D. O., & Okafor, U. A. C. (2023). Musculoskeletal disorders, workplace ergonomics and injury prevention. In Khorhan, O. (Ed.), Ergonomics: New insights (pp. 1-29). IntechOpen.
Park, J., & Min, H. K. (2020). Turnover intention in the hospitality industry: A meta-analysis. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 90, 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2020.102599
Pervin, N., & Mokhtar, M. (2022). The interpretivist research paradigm: A subjective notion of a social context. International Journal of Academic Research in Progressive Education and Development, 11(2), 419-428. http://dx.doi.org/10.6007/IJARPED/v11-i2/12938
Probst, T. M. (2016). Job insecurity: Implications for occupational health and safety. In S. T. Antoniou & C. Cooper (Eds.), New directions in organizational psychology and behavioral medicine (pp. 313-328). Routledge.
Raja Omar, R. N., Nik Hashim, N. A. A., Zain, E. N. M., Ramlee, S. I. F., Abdul Halim, A. F., Mohd Rohzi, A. F., Nor Azlin, M. H. A., & Wat Mat, W. M. N. (2020). Factors that influence online behaviour in purchasing hotel rooms via websites among tourists. European Journal of Molecular & Clinical Medicine, 7, 219-229.
Rohit, S. K., & Milan, S. (2023). Epidemiology of occupational injuries and hazards in Indian hospitality: A study report. European Chemical Bulletin, 12, 2586-259. https://doi.org/10.48047/ecb/2023.12.si5a.0144
Schwepker, J. C. H., & Dimitriou, C. K. (2021). Using ethical leadership to reduce job stress and improve performance quality in the hospitality industry. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 94, 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2021.102860
SHA Risk Specialists. (2024, 9 February). Compensation for occupational injuries and diseases: Half of SA businesses non-compliant. FA News. https://www.fanews.co.za/article/non-life/15/commercial/1006/compensation-for-occupational-injuries-and-diseases-half-of-sa-businesses-non-compliant/38776
Shahane, R., & Fernandes, M. (2021). To study the training program implemented by the housekeeping department for onboarding staff in a post-pandemic world and its impact on employee motivation. Atithya: A Journal of Hospitality, 8(1), 33-37.
Shapoval, V., Sönmez, S., Hsieh, Y. C., & Apostolopoulos, Y. (2022). Occupational health and safety of immigrant hotel housekeepers. Workplace Health & Safety, 70(12), 566-573. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/21650799221090712
Simpao, K. J. S. (2018). Labour productivity measurement and control standards for hotels. Journal of Service Science Research, 10, 25-76. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12927-018-0002-1
Singer, J. (2023). There are no accidents: The deadly rise of injury and disaster—who profits and who pays the price. Simon & Schuster.
Spellman, F. R. (2023). Physical hazard control: Preventing injuries in the workplace. Bernan Press.
Tavitiyaman, P., Tsui, B., Chan, C. L. F., & Miu, H. W. (2022). Employee productivity of hotel room attendants: An input–output perspective. International Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Administration, 23(5), 959-986. https://doi.org/10.1080/15256480.2021.1881941
Vogt, K. S., Baker, J., Morys-Edge, M., Kendal, S., Mizen, E., & Johnson, J. (2025). ‘I think the first priority is physically safe first, before you can actually get psychologically safe’: Staff perspectives on psychological safety in inpatient mental health settings. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, 32(2), 276-287. https://doi.org/10.1111/jpm.13101
Wami, S. D., Dessie, A., & Chercos, D. H. (2019). The impact of work-related risk factors on the development of neck and upper limb pain among low wage hotel housekeepers in Gondar town, Northwest Ethiopia: Institution-based cross-sectional study. Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine, 24(1), 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12199-019-0779-7
Wibowo, T., Sukaryawan, I. M., & Hatmoko, J. U. D. (2020). Identifying causal factors of accidents related to working at height: A case study of a construction company. Association for Computing Machinery Journal, 3(1), 1-7. https://doi.org/10.1145/3429789.3429792
Wong, A. K. F., Kim, S. S., Kim, J., & Han, H. (2021). How the COVID-19 pandemic affected hotel employee stress: Employee perceptions of occupational stressors and their consequences. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 93, 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2020.102798
Xie, C., Zhang, J., Chen, Y., Morrison, A. M., & Lin, Z. (2020). Measuring hotel employee perceived job risk: Dimensions and scale development. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 32(2), 1-37. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/IJCHM-01-2019-0022
Yanar, B., Lay, M., & Smith, P. M. (2019). The interplay between supervisor safety support and occupational health and safety vulnerability on work injury. Safety and Health at Work Journal, 10(2), 172-179. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.shaw.2018.11.001
Yasami, M., Phetvaroon, K., Dewan, M., & Stosic, K. (2024). Does employee resilience work? The effects of job insecurity on psychological withdrawal behaviour and work engagement. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights, 7(5), 2862-2882. https://doi.org/10.1108/JHTI-06-2023-0423
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Keleabetswe Keletso Zitho, Tshepiso Jonathan Setokoe, Dalene Crowther
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
