Relationships Between Job Related Competency, Communication Competency, Agreeableness, Job Satisfaction and Intention to Stay in Spa Industry Among Spa Therapists in Malaysia

• Main Author: Nor Fairuz Syazana Nor Fauzi
• Format: Thesis
• Published: 2019
• Subjects: HD Industries. Land use. Labor; HF5549.5 Personnel management
• Online Access: http://library.oum.edu.my/repository/1223/1/library-document-1223.pdf; http://library.oum.edu.my/repository/1223/2/library-document-1223.pdf; http://library.oum.edu.my/repository/1223/
• Institution: Open University Malaysia

The emergence of the spa industry had created job and economic opportunities formation, specifically for the tourism industry to lead as discussed in the 2012 Global Spa and Wellness Summit in Bali. The spa industry has contributed more than $106 billion in the wellness tourism globally, and had generated more revenue than any other sector in the tourism industry. In Malaysia, the spa industry has increased to over 200% since 2002 and has the potential to continously grow. Under the Malaysian Economic Transformation Program (ETP), the spa industry is earmarked as one of the twelve initiatives budgeted for tourism development. However, the industry is not without its problems. Besides competition from other tourism sectors and also from neighbouring countries, the spa industry in Malaysia needs to address issues which include the shortage of therapist expertise and providing excellent service. It was reported that the “lack of talent” in the spa industry is caused by high staff turnover when compared with the other services in the tourism industry. Only a few studies were conducted on the matter through its contribution to the industry, while holistically, the human capital development is equally important in supporting the tourism industry in Malaysia. This study explores factors that consists of job satisfaction, job related and communication competencies and agreeableness among spa therapists which may influence their intention to stay. The research methodology for this study explained the research design that includes sampling, questionnaire design, data collection procedures, proposed research framework, and techniques of data analysis. The sample technique chosen for this study is disproportionate stratified random sampling method. A self-administered methodology approach were deployed to collect data of the respondents comprised of spa therapists who work with registered hotels and resort spas in Malaysia. A small scale data collected during the pilot test of this study has been analysed for the validity and reliability test. The results of the study revealed that only communication competency has a significant positive direct relationship with intention to stay. In contrast, job related competency and agreeableness have insignificant direct relationship. However, job satisfaction mediated the relationship between job related competency, communication competency and agreeableness and intention to stay among spa therapists in Malaysia. In future, this study can be carry out by considering other type of position in spa industry, to strike a balance. Longitudinal studies also been proposed in order to have a better understanding of behaviour of spa therapist over a long period of time. Other suggestion, future study can investigate the possible use of other motivational factors as a moderating variable. Similarly, this study suggests future study to investigate the possible use of other personality factors such as conscientiousness, neuroticism, openness to experience, and extraversion as well with other competencies variables as the independent variables. (Abstract by Author)