Motivational Job Satisfaction in the Caribbean Hospitality Industry

The purpose of this study is to examine if employees of small hotels in Kingston, Jamaica, are satisfied with the realization of their motivational preferences. This study also focuses on the relationship between dependant motivational preferences, such as Pay and Appreciation, and independent variables, such as Gender and Age. Research was conducted through quantitative and qualitative elements. The quantitative instrument was a structured questionnaire. An unstructured interview with hotel managers in Kingston was the qualitative portion of the study. The study generated a response rate of over 80 percent from six different small hotels in Kingston. The survey was statistically analyzed using SPSS. Results of the study revealed that employees are dissatisfied with three of the five most important motivational preferences, such as Pay and Appreciation. Further, the study found that the independent variables Age, Gender, Education and Tenure influence the satisfaction with the dependant variables. This study will help to indicate areas that need attention from a managerial standpoint and it will contribute to job satisfaction research in general.