%0 Journal Article
%T What is Wrong With The Quality of Hotel Service? The Critical Role of Work – Family Conflict and Its Negative Outcomes
%A Grobelna, Aleksandra
%J International Journal of Contemporary Management
%V 2018
%R 10.4467/24498939IJCM.18.028.9624
%N Numer 17(3)
%P 125-151
%K hotel employees, work-family conflict, depersonalisation, customer orientation, extra-role customer service
%@ 2449-8920
%D 2018
%U https://ejournals.eu/czasopismo/international-journal-of-contemporary-management/artykul/what-is-wrong-with-the-quality-of-hotel-service-the-critical-role-of-work-family-conflict-and-its-negative-outcomes
%X 
	Background. Hospitality jobs are characterised by long, unsocial working hours, irregular and inflexible work schedules, limited time off, shift work, etc. All these aspects, including changes in customers’ needs, create a stressful workplace, where increased demands require more time and energy from employees that “must be” devoted to work related activities instead of family life. Thus, unsurprisingly, hotel employees who try to deliver excellent service and meet high quality standards may be particularly prone to experience work-family conflict, which in turn may lead to very adverse effect for customer service and, as a result, many negative outcomes.

	Research aims. The aim of the study is to investigate the relationship between work-family conflict and its critical consequences for customer service. The research problem is to find an answer to the questions: 1. is there a relationship between work-family conflict and employees’ depersonalisation, which is displayed by treating others (hotel guests) as objects rather that people, through cynical and uncaring attitudes, and 2. may employees’ depersonalisation significantly decrease employees’ customer orientation and the extra-role customer service.

	Methodology. The survey instrument was used to collect information from eight hotels in the Pomerania Province (Northern Poland). A total of 130 hotel employees agreed to participate in the study.

	Key findings. The study results showed that employees who experience high work-family conflict are also more likely to be detached and emotionally callous towards hotel guests, as a result demonstrating lower customer orientation and decreased extra-role service.