Strategies to Improve Millennial Employees’ Engagement Within the Hospitality Industry

Abstract

In the United States, engagement levels of the multigenerational workforce are negatively affecting the overall business value. Employee engagement is important to hospitality industry leaders as an indicator of job performance, turnover, employee intentions, and organizational commitment. Grounded in Kahn’s employee engagement theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore effective strategies used by leaders in the hospitality industry to improve Millennial employee engagement. The participants were 5 hotel leaders in Virginia who successfully engaged their Millennial workforce. Data were collected from semistructured interviews, company documents, and note-taking. Data were analyzed using Yin’s 5-step data analysis, member checking, and methodological triangulation. Four themes emerged: coaching through education, rewards that improve engagement, enhancing engagement through motivation, and communication enhances awareness and receptiveness. Managers could use mentoring, communication, and incentives to engage millennial employees and decrease employee engagement barriers. The implications for positive social change include providing hospitality industry managers with a framework for understanding their Millennial workers that can potentially promote positive relationships and improve employee morale. Employee engagement strategies could potentially lead to an improvement in the societal workforce, reduce unemployment rates, and increase the U.S. economy and tax base.