The Impact of stress on employee

performance in Five star hotels

within Dubai: A comparative study
of the hospitality industry.

Subject: Research Topics – Advanced Level Diploma International

Tourism Management

Submitted to: Ms. Elham Bolooki

By: Ammna Waqas

Final Submission For 24.07.21

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 Table of Contents
• Abstract

• Introduction

• Acknowledgments

• Research Aims and Objectives

• Literature Review
o 1.1 stress
o 1.2 types of stress
o 1.3 Occupational stress in the hospitality
o 1.4 Effects of stress on employee performance
o 2.1 Expectations of five-star hotels In Dubai on employees
o 2.2 Job Satisfaction
o 2.3 Employee loyalty
o 3.1 Management of stress
o 3.2 Techniques at the workplace

• Methodology:
o 4.1 Introduction
o 4.2 Different types of methodology
o 4.3 Methodologies used in previous literature.
o 4.4 Selection of methodology
o 4.5 Methodology that will be used in this paper.

• Sample Survey Cover Letter

• Coping & Stress Management skills test (Sample)

• Findings:
o 5.1 Instrument design strategy
o 5.2 Items on Instrument
o 5.3 Style of analysis
o 5.4 Analysing response
• Conclusion

• Appendix

• References

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to thank my Family and Friends for their support and encouragement.
Special thanks to my partner Bilal Baslar for his help, kind words, and for motivating
and cheering me up.
Most Importantly, I would like to thank my instructors for their patience,
understanding, suggestions, and helpful tips.

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Abstract
The goal of this research is to create and test a conceptual model that analyzes the
effects of emotional fatigue in employees due to stress on life satisfaction and
turnover intentions. The model also investigates supervisor support as a modulator
of the connections between employee aggressiveness, emotional fatigue, and the
aforementioned outcomes. Data will be obtained from a sample of full-time
employees within Dubai.

Introduction
This current study is aiming to investigate the impact of stress on employee
performance within the hospitality industry in Dubai. This study will be related to
aspects and issues such as the work environment, employee satisfaction, and loyalty
in five-star hotels.
The European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions
implies that the hotel industry Is Identified as one out of seven sectors that are
exposed to a high risk of work-related stress (Houtman 2005). Moreover, the
hospitality industry is one of Dubai’s most important sectors and the biggest
contributor to its GDP. Over 400,000 jobs are supported by the Hospitality and
Travel industry in Dubai. Most job positions within the hotel require patience,
physical and mental strength to deliver excellent customer service. Furthermore, the
work hours in most hotels are extremely demanding as most positions start from 9
AM to 5 PM, six days a week with one day off in the UAE. The intense nature of
working in the hotel can create an incredibly stressful environment that may impact
employee’s wellbeing and health.
Employees working within hospitality are much more susceptible to occupational
stress due to the workload and maintaining a high standard of customer service.
Work stress can be a particular problem in customer-oriented fields because
employees often experience conflicting demands of the company, supervisors, and
customers, and these conflicts create dissonance for employees (Ruyter, Wetzels, &
Feinberg, 2001). The close nature of being in direct contact with customers and
facing difficult situations frequently may cause stress and depression if not handled
appropriately.
Employee wellbeing within hospitality should be considered important as they are the
lifeforce of the hotel. The research behind this study aims to help understand and
eradicate this issue so that both employees and customers can have a good
relationship that contributes to the overall success of the hotel industry.

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Research aims and objectives:
This paper aims to investigate the stressful nature of employees works in five-star
hotels; this research will benefit the industry to improve overall employee
performance as well as creating a safe, happy working environment. Investigation
into this topic can help the industry effectively manage employee wellbeing and only
by understanding the nature and causes of stress will alleviate the issue. This article
takes various studies and research into this topic to unveil the various types,
stressors, and management of employee stress within the hotel industry. Based on
the research question and the associated literature, the following hypotheses were
developed to guide the analysis of the data collected.

Literature Review
This section includes the literature review of the following topics. First, the definition
of stress and its causes is discussed, the various types of stress and its effects on
the employees will be covered. Additionally, literature on five start hotel demands
and their expectations among employees will be reviewed. Finally, the management
of how hotels in Dubai can minimize stress among its employees will be presented.
1.1 Stress
Stress can be defined in many ways and is a commonly used term to describe
pressure under an uncertain situation. In much more scientific terms Lazarus and
Folkmans' (1984) definition of stress can be defined as “a particular relationship
between the person and the environment that is appraised by the person as taxing or
exceeding his or her resources and endangering his or her wellbeing.” This can
explain how a person may experience stress in their way and how they can handle
the situation, a stress full situation usually arises when somebody is feeling a sense
of hopelessness and inability to cope with the issue.
Stress is a complex experience and can only be explicitly defined by the person.
One's perception of stress may vary from person to person this means that the best
judge of someone’s level of stress is the person. This notion can be supported by
Lazarus (1991) conducted important research on the relationship between stress
and emotions, also describing the coping processes. The researcher has created a
“Cognitive-Motivational-Relational Theory of Emotion”, where he highly emphasized
that stress, as well as emotions, are not caused by external factors, but rather by
person-environment relationships, which can differ over time or due to
circumstances. Therefore, discrepancies can be found between one’s reaction to the
situation and the objective reality of it.
Another way stress can be explained in the Encyclopaedic Dictionary of Psychology
this dynamic process is defined as "how people realize and identify their problems,
how they react to them and attempt to cope with them, and the 'cost' of doing so"
(Harre and Lamb, 1983). A persons coping mechanism may vary for different
reasons. Folkman and Lazarus (1985) defined coping in terms of the "cognitive and
behavioral efforts someone makes to manage (master, reduce or tolerate) a troubled

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person-environment relationship". This means that being able to prepare beforehand
would greatly aid in minimizing the impact of stress. There are two main ways to
cope with stress: emotion-focused and problem-focused coping. Emotion-focused
coping is focused on dealing with unpleasant emotions caused by stress, while
problem-focused coping is dealing with problem-solving (Lazarus & Folkman, 1984).
For instance, If there is a marketing presentation expected to be completed next
week then the person may prepare the presentation beforehand and rehearse and
revise for the presentation this is problem-focused coping whereas, emotion-based
coping may occur a few moments or a day before the event and breathing
techniques to relax one’s mind.
1.2 Types of stress
Various types of stress exist and may range from each person’s perception.
Work stress:
The stressful working conditions influencing employee’s wellbeing arises from hard
deadlines, unexpected interactions with quests, long working hours and night and
evening work, repetitive work, high emotional demands, low influence (control), Shift
work, high work pace, long working hours, problems with the co-ordination of work
(Kristensen et al, 2002). Moreover, the constant need to be perfect and deliver an
excellent level of customer service can be overwhelming furthermore, stress from
work may also transcend and affect the employees’ families as well. pressure to
support family and provide security to spouses and kids. Therefore, organizations
must consider these factors to create a much healthier workforce.
Chronic stress:
Taylor (1995) describes this type of stress as unrelenting demands and pressures for
seemingly interminable periods. This type of stress is the most detrimental as the
person feels an extreme sense of hopelessness and inability to escape this feeling.
Eventually, this type of distress eats away at the emotional and physical health of the
person that will lead to depression and even suicide.
Traumatic stress:
This type of stress can also be known as PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder). This
kind of stress is usually experienced after an extremely emotionally unsettling event
such as a death, natural disaster, or accident. The employee’s workplace must take
into consideration personal incidents and should be accommodating to provide
support during such events. PTSD may also affect the person physically such as
shortness of breath, shaking, and even seizures. This type of stress may disrupt the
person day to day life.
Episodic Acute stress:
This type of stress usually affects people whose lives are extremely chaotic.
Employees who frequently take on many projects, always in a rush or handling too
many demands out of their hands may be more susceptible to feeling this way.

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Employees who have this sort of lifestyle may never change and may experience
severe physical symptoms.
1.3 Occupational Stress in the hospitality industry
Ross (1997 ) describes occupational stress as “ the form of physiological and
emotional arousal.” Experienced by the employee when exposed to a threatening
situation or a conflict with another staff member or a client.
Stress at work can impact both employees and the company. Even though the
hospitality industry is not physically demanding and considered a less hazardous
industry it is ultimately the mental toll that affects employees. There is also the issue
of ‘emotional labor’: a requirement for employees to act in an empathetic, positive,
and friendly manner at all times when dealing with customers to make them feel
wanted and welcome (Anderson et al., 2002; Grandey, 2003; Lashley, 2001).
Several occupational factors may affect the employee’s ability to cope with the
stressors. Cooper, Dewe, and O’Driscoll, (2001) argue that sources of stress can be
grouped into three broad categories: job-specific sources, organizational sources,
and individual sources and the first two are external environmental causes.

Hart and Coopers 2002 Model of occupational stress can be used to explain the
external factors such as governmental laws and shareholder demands that may
influence the core elements of the organization such as expected employee
performance and internal factors such as the Hotels policies and practices will
influence how the team operates under certain conditions.
The hospitality industry also does not have the best working conditions due to low
salaries, irregular work hours, high work demands, and intensive interactions with
clients (Lo & Lamm, 2005). Similarly, Jung and Yoon (2014) suggested that
emotional intelligence is a cause of job stress in hotel employees. These previous
research insights lead us to assume that occupational stress is negatively related to

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job satisfaction and job engagement and is positively associated with employee
turnover intentions of front-line hospitality sector employees. Previous studies about
stress in the hospitality industry have also indicated the effects of stress and physical
health problems such as headaches, fatigue, indigestion, ulcers, blood pressure,
heart attacks, and strokes (Krone et al, 1989) Furthermore, If the employees are not
healthy this may also affect their ability to perform at work and as well as increase
health expenses for the employer. (O’Neill & Davis, 2009).
1.4 Effects of stress on employee performance
Employees who are stressed at work will usually avoid stress at work through not
showing up or either being absent at work. This will adversely affect the hotel in
terms of performance, wastage of operational resources, creating obstacles for
subordinates, and so on. Previous studies have also proved occupational stress to
have a negative influence on providing quality customer service due to the increased
exhaustion of the workers (Varca 1999; O’Neill & Davis, 2009).
Employees enduring stressful situations at work may not only affect an employee's
work but also ultimately be the downfall of the organization. Although some
employees feel a sense of empowerment to working under stress that only works up
to a certain level as productivity decreases with increased stress. Previous studies
have found that the performance of employees remains poor at the extremely low
level of stress as well as at the extremely high level of stress because at the low
level of stress employees may not be sufficiently energized and may not be whole-
heartedly dedicated to their job, resulting in low productivity. And at the peak of
stress, employees want to get out of that stressful situation, result in no
concentration on work. (Cross Ogohi Daniel, 2019).
Other effects of occupational stress on the companies are sometimes more
apparent, for instance, the damage is done to the organization’s image both
internally and externally, and consequently, increased complaints from customers
and clients. An unsafe working environment and an increased number of accidents
at work can lead to direct costs for the organization in terms of insurance and legal
claims (Luthans, 2011; Leka et al.,2004).
Previous research has also found that stress can be one of the main factors in
aggressive actions such as sabotage, interpersonal aggression, hostility, and
complaints (Luthans, 2011). These kinds of behaviors create a toxic and unfriendly
work environment for employers and employees. Ultimately affecting job
performance, low self-esteem, hatred towards managers, inability to concentrate,
make decisions, and job dissatisfaction.
2.1 Expectations of five-star hotels In Dubai on employees
Dubai, as a city, hosts the highest numbers of five-star-plus luxury properties in the
world, yet remains under increased pressure to build more hotels, all requiring a
skilled workforce and the intense competition in the hospitality industry necessitates
high-quality service if businesses are to maintain their competitiveness.

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As the demand for qualified and experienced employees escalates, hoteliers will be
put under increasing pressure to attract, train, and retain a workforce to deliver
service that upholds Dubai’s reputation for luxury. One of the central drivers is
improvement in innovative service offerings and behaviors in staff-guest interactions
and is crucial for the sustainability of the hospitality business (Slåtten & Mehmetoglu,
2011).
Moreover, in this competitive business environment in the hotel industry, high levels
of workplace stress are not surprising. Although managers can take this as an
opportunity for improvement rather than a problem. This alternative conception of
work-related stress can be taken by the human resources management, for
example, in their training and recruitment programs. Hotel managers should
understand when and how stress might stimulate innovative behavior in their
employees.
Karatepe et al. (2009) found that customer verbal aggression resulted in emotional
dissonance and emotional exhaustion among frontline hotel employees. They also
reported that customer aggression, emotional dissonance, and emotional exhaustion
triggered employees’ turnover intentions. Additionally, Frontline employees routinely
experience customer aggression. In response to such a stressor, they use their
scarce resources, such as time and energy, with an expectation that they will receive
positive outcomes in return.
Even though there is no research on UAE employees specifically. Empirical research
regarding customer aggression and its detrimental impacts on employee outcomes
in frontline service jobs is limited.
2.2 Job Satisfaction
Job satisfaction in the hotel industry is vital for employees to provide exceptional
customer service. The definition of job satisfaction was offered by Locke (1969, p.
317), who defined job satisfaction as “the pleasurable emotional state resulting from
the appraisal of one’s job as achieving or facilitating ones’ job values.”
Job satisfaction is an important part of reducing stress among employees, some of
the factors that influence job satisfaction can be summarized along with the following
aspects: the work itself, pay, promotions, supervision, workgroup, and working
conditions (Luthans, 2011). For employees to feel valued within the organization,
promotion opportunities are crucial. For example, if employees are being promoted
due to their performance feel much more satisfied than the ones promoted based on
seniority. Furthermore, having a cooperative team at work can positively impact the
employees' job satisfaction. The same principle applies to the working conditions: if
they are suitable, the effect on satisfaction is not significant, but having poor working
conditions can heavily decrease job satisfaction (Luthans, 2011).
Understandably, Job satisfaction is an important aspect for employees to consider,
and increasing it can benefit not just the employees but the organization overall. And
alleviate high turnover rates and reduce absenteeism. Moreover, increasing the job
satisfaction of the employees can reduce occupational stress (Luthans, 2011).

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According to Lam et al. (2001), one of the ways to increase job satisfaction among
employees can be by organizing training workshops and development plans,
especially for new employees. The HR in hotels must hold frequent team building
activities and excursions with the employees to create a more fun and relaxed
environment as this may make them feel more satisfied.
As explained before, that the level of job satisfaction is highly influenced by work
stress. The connection between these two characteristics of work has have been of
great interest to many researchers. Hence, it has been found that stress at work has
a strong and negative correlation with job satisfaction in different industries
(Richardson & Burke, 1991; Cavanaugh et al., 2000; Rizwan et al., 2014; Xiang et
al., 2014). Research conducted in the hospitality sector has found such stressors as
interpersonal tensions and role ambiguity to have a significant negative correlation
with job satisfaction (Yang, 2010). These confirm that overall an employee’s
dissatisfaction ultimately leads to stress.
2.3 Employee Loyalty
Employee loyalty can be defined as a “psychological attachment or commitment to
the organization” (Wan, 2012, p. 2). Employees are the life force behind the hotel,
therefore their loyalty should be of utmost importance to ensure the success of the
business. However, staff turnover, especially in the hospitality industry has become
exceptionally high in the last decades (Yang, 2010) and is often around 200% to
300% per year (Demir et al., 2007, p. 477.) There has been scientific evidence that
employee loyalty positively influences customer loyalty, which in turn increases
revenues for the company (Rucci et al., 1998, cited by Wan, 2012). The service-
profit chain concept, developed by Heskett et al. (1994), found the relationship
between such factors as profitability, customer loyalty, and employee satisfaction,
loyalty, and productivity.

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Figure 3 explains how to have satisfied customers the service given to them by
employees must meaningful. This can be done with the help of loyal employees. This
concept once again demonstrates that the satisfaction of the employees is directly
and strongly correlated with their loyalty (Heskett et al., 1994).
Drivers of loyalty such as monetary rewards, sufficient and fair wages, and benefits
are important for organizations to provide for employees to feel valued. The
relationship between supervisors. Effective leadership from hotel managers in terms
of personal growth, appropriate skills training, leading the team also impact an
employee’s loyalty to the company. Furthermore, Previous research has also found
evidence that job stress has a negative correlation with organizational commitment
(Garg & Dhar, 2014). Even though more decent research on the interrelations
between occupational stress and employee loyalty is lacking, there is sufficient
evidence that employees experiencing more stress are also more likely to leave the
organization (House & Rizzo, 1972; Cavanaugh et al., 2000; Bhatti et al., 2010).
3.1 Management of stress
Now, stress impinges on employee’s health and performance. Stress, therefore,
needs to be coped with or managed to effectively minimize its undesirable
consequences.
Individual coping strategies such as:
• Physical Exercise: Walking, jogging, swimming, riding bicycles, or playing
video games are all good ways to relieve stress. Without delving into the
technicalities of the exact relationship between exercise and stress, it is safe
to say that at least some of the benefits of exercise, such as relaxation,
increased self-esteem, and just taking one's mind off work for a bit, help
people manage with stress better.

• Behavioral Self-Control: Self-management is referred to as behavioral self-

control. Employees can gain self-control by conducting a conscious study of
the causes and consequences of their actions. Employees managing the
circumstance rather than allowing the situation to control them is the goal of
the self-control technique. As a result, avoiding persons or events that will put
employees under stress is one strategy to avoid stress.

• Networking: People require and benefit from social support, according to

psychological studies. As a result, developing social support can also be
employed as a strategy for minimizing occupational stress. Forming tight
relationships with trusted co-workers and colleagues who are good listeners
and confidence builders would be required. These co-workers can sometimes
assist the stressed employee in de-stressing.

• Counseling: Counselling is yet another stress-reduction approach that is

commonly employed in businesses. Employees are counseled on topics such

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 as career planning to help them understand their career objectives and
prospects.

3.2 Techniques at the workplace

There are other strategies, which are extremely helpful in stress management in an
organization. The organizational oriented strategies for stress management:
• Flextime
• Job sharing
• Yoga sessions
• Happy hours
• Learning and development cell
• Longer lunch hours
• Healthcare advocacy
• Daycare facilities for babies
• Good compensation and perks
• Traveling allowances
• Motivational sessions
• EAPs (Employee Assistance Programs)
• Stress management programs
• Physical activities planned in job design

METHODOLOGY
4.1) Introduction
This section describes the methodology that has been used for testing “The impact
of stress on hotel employees in five-star hotels in Dubai.” Presented in the
introduction. This research aims to analyze how frontline employees feel in their
current job positions and their coping mechanisms related to stress. The main factors
taken into consideration are Role overload, Role conflict, working conditions, and
peer and peer relations.
4.2) Different types of methodology
• Experiments
Participants in experimental research may be requested to perform a variety
of tests to assess their cognitive abilities (e.g., word recall, attention, focus,
reasoning ability, and so on), which are normally administered verbally, on
paper, or by computer. The outcomes of several groups are then compared.
• Surveys
Surveys entail gathering information from large groups of individuals using
questionnaires, but other methods such as interviews or telephoning may also
be employed. There are various sorts of surveys.

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 • Questionnaires
Questionnaires are a useful approach to get information from a wide group of
people or from those who may not have the time to participate in an interview
or an experiment. They let participants take their time, think about it, and
return to the survey later.
• Interviews
Interviews are typically conducted face-to-face; however, they can also be
conducted over the phone or by advanced computer technologies such as
Skype. They are sometimes held in the interviewee's home and other times in
a more neutral location.
• Case studies
Case studies usually entail a thorough examination of a specific situation (a
person or small group). Data is collected and analyzed using a variety of
approaches, including observation and interviews, as well as consulting other
people and personal or public information.
• Quantitative
Numbers and graphs are used in quantitative research. It's utilized to put
hypotheses and assumptions to the test or confirm them. This form of study
can be utilized to come up with generalizable facts about a subject.
Experiments, observations recorded as numbers, and surveys with closed-
ended questions are all common quantitative procedures.
• Qualitative
Qualitative research is written down. It is used to comprehend ideas,
thoughts, and experiences. This form of research allows you to learn more
about topics that are not well-understood. Interviews with open-ended
inquiries, observations reported in words, and literature reviews that
investigate concepts and theories are all common qualitative methods.

4.3) Methodologies used in previous literature

In previous methodologies, researchers have used a qualitative and quantitative
approach to collect data. Due to the exploratory nature of the research question a lot
of comparative case studies, questionnaires, surveys, and interview-based questions
were employed. Given the complexities of this topic, it is impossible to have a single
appropriate methodology for this study; consequently, a combination of
methodologies and distinct alternatives were explored.

4.4) Selection of methodology (participants and data collection)

Full-time frontline employees working in various five-star hotels in Dubai were
recruited. These hotels are graded based on (DTCM) standards. The study aims to
investigate frontline hotel employees who have constant interaction with hotel
customers, and they include employees working at the reception, food and

13
beverage, concierge, and housekeeping. 480 employees from 32 five-star hotels will
be contacted to take part. After two weeks, follow-up communication with the
respective hotel’s human resource manager will be made.
Sampling: Stratified random sampling was done to obtain a response from lower
and managerial level employees
Survey method: The research used this strategy to contact lower and managerial
level personnel with pre-written statements about coping mechanisms. Further
personal Interviews will be conducted to obtain information regarding stress
management programs.
4.5) Methodology that will be used in this paper
This study was designed as a descriptive one and was carried out by conducting a
personal interview and survey of 480 employees in 32 five-star hotels across Dubai.
Data was collected using a standardized instrument. The information gathered has
been subjected to descriptive statistics so that a logical conclusion can be reached.
We have used a quantitative method to collect data as we will be using a survey with
close-ended questions. The answers will be analyzed through math and statistical
analysis. The survey will help understand the participants coping mechanisms and
will be categorized into two categories; “Problem-Focused” and “Emotion-Focused.”
There are two types of stress coping mechanisms: problem-focused and emotion-
focused in the instance of a problem-focused coping technique, a person makes an
effort to control, improve, or alter the situation. Attempts, thoughts, or feelings that
are emotion-focused are referred to as emotion-focused activities taken to reduce
the emotional impact of stress. (Bosworth, Bastian, Rimer, & Siegler, 2003). Further,
the coping and stress management skills test will be based on the mean score, it will
be decided to which strategies employees give priority.

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 Sample Survey Cover Letter

Date:

Dear Participant,
My name is Ammna Waqas, and I am a student at Dubai College of Tourism. For my final project, I am
examining the impact of stress on employee performance. Because you are a frontline hotel employee at a
Five-star Hotel, I am inviting you to participate in this research study by completing the attached survey.

The following questionnaire will require approximately 10 minutes to complete. There is no compensation
forresponding nor is there any known risk. To ensure that all information will remain confidential, please
do not include your name. Copies of the project will be provided to the Dubai College of Tourism instructor.
If you choose to participate in this project, please answer all questions as honestly as possible and return
the completed questionnaires promptly through E-Mail. Participation is strictly voluntary, and you may
refuse to participate at any time.

Thank you for taking the time to assist me in my educational endeavors. The data collected will provide
useful information regarding stress management. If you would like a summary copy of this study please
complete and detach the Request for Information Form and return it to me in a separate envelope.
Completion and return of the questionnaire will indicate your willingness to participate in this study. If you
require additional information or have questions, please contact me at the number listed below.

If you are not satisfied with how this study is being conducted, you may report (anonymously if you so
choose) any complaints to the Dubai College of Tourism.

Sincerely,
Ammna Waqas
(056 – 8039951)
(ammnawaqas@dctlearn.ac.ae )
Instructor - (Elham Bolooki)
(Elham.Bolooki@dctlearn.ac.ae )

Detach here

***********************************************************************

(This request for information form is an optional part of the cover letter and is not required for IRB approval.)

Request for Information

Please send a copy of the study results

to the address listed below:

Please do not return this form with your survey. Return to: <insert your name and address or e-mail address>

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 COPING & STRESS MANAGEMENT SKILLS TEST
Name: Date:

Department:

Coping Strategies Always Often Sometimes Rarely Never

I blame practically everyone
but myself for my problems
I try to do the best I can
under any circumstance
I find a way to express my
emotions related to my job
(writing in a journal or blog,
playing some music, etc…)
I deny that there is a problem
at all.
I experience difficulty
sleeping because my mind is
racing.
I am unpleasant to be
around.
I get into more arguments
than usual.
I take emotional support
from others
I find reasons to laugh.
I think of ways that can
change the situation and
make it better.
I end up blowing up at some
point.
I try to spend more time
relaxing with friends
and/or loved ones.
I join a support group to
help me with the problem.
I use physical activity as a
way to get rid of the pent-up
energy
Even when people want to
help me, I reject their offer

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Findings:
5.1) Instrument Design Strategy
The survey is designed with pre-determined statements that aim to understand the
employee’s emotional regulation and self-management during stressful situations.
The survey covers various aspects of stress from the following parts Role overload,
Role conflict, working conditions, and peer relations. The purpose of the COSA – R2
test ( Likert scale ) is to assess participants coping skills and his or her predominant
methods of coping with stress.
The primary factors and scales of this test are:
Overall Score plus 3 factors, divided into 12 scales:
• Problem-Focused Coping: Refers to ways of handling stress that deals with taking
action to improve the stressor.
• Emotion-Focused Coping: Methods of handling stressful situations that entail
learning how to deal with the situation emotionally.
• Empty Coping Strategies/Hang-Ups: Entails “empty” coping strategies that
generally will not help deal with stressful situations.
This survey is self-administered. The 480 participants from 32 five-star hotels across
Dubai will be emailed the test along with a cover letter. The HR department of the
hotel will also be emailed regarding the details of the test.
Upon the previous investigation into different methodologies, using a survey as an
instrument is the best option. To describe the features of a big population, surveys
are useful. No other research approach can offer such a broad range of capabilities,
ensuring a more accurate sample from which to draw conclusions and make key
decisions. As it is often used to describe and explore human behavior, surveys are
therefore frequently used in social and psychological research (Singleton & Straits,
2009).
5.2) Items on the instrument
The attitude survey has predetermined coping strategies that participants will tick on
a scale of Always, Often, Sometimes, Rarely, and Never. The items help determine
whether the participants use emotional or problem-solving-based coping. Problem-
solving activities, information searching, and problem-focused coping are all forms of
problem-focused coping. pondering what to do, refraining from rash decisions Taking
risks, and dealing with adversity. Whereas Emotion-focused coping might involve
things like a desire to be in the company of people, cognitive responses such as
denial a realistic assessment of the circumstances, and a hopeful outlook on the
future (Esther, Daly, Hancock, Bidewell, Johnson, Lambert, & Lambert, 2006). This
test will aid in the application of:
✓ Therapy and Counselling
✓ Personal Development

17
 ✓ Employee assistance programs
The items in the test help determine the following attributes:
➢ Problem-Focused Coping
• Problem-Solving: Consists of looking for ways to improve a stressful situation.
• Information-Seeking: Seeking out knowledge to increase understanding of the
situation.
• Negotiation: Consists of compromising goals, mindset, or behavior to better fit
within the constraints of a stressful situation.
➢ Emotion-Focused Coping
• Social Support: Consists of looking for emotional support from others.
• Positive Cognitive Restructuring: Involves making changes to the way the
participant thinks about a stressful situation to feel better about it
• Emotional Regulation: Using relaxation techniques or finding healthy outlets for
negative emotions.
• Distraction: Involves temporarily letting go of a stressful situation and simply
enjoying oneself
➢ Hang-Ups
• Rumination: Involves thinking obsessively about a source of stress.
• Avoidance: Tendency to avoid thinking about a problem and doing what needs to
be done.
• Helplessness: Conceding defeat and not taking responsibility for a situation.
• Social Withdrawal: Tendency to avoid all contact with the outside world and to
avoid dealing with others.
• Opposition: Tendency to lash out at others or to place blame elsewhere.
5.3) Style of Analysis
The style of analysis to measure quantitative data would be descriptive statistics.
Descriptive statistics summarize and organize characteristics of a data set. The data
is a collection of responses from a current sample. They provide simple summaries
about the sample and the measures. Using descriptive statistics will help present
quantitative descriptions in a manageable form. This research used a central
tendency that concerns the averages of values.
5.4) Analysing response
Each question means median and mode will be calculated. And each question will
be labeled as emotion-focused or problem-focused. Measures of central tendency
estimate the center, or average, of a data set. The mean, median, and mode are 3

18
ways of finding the average of our sample. Moreover, the 3 main measures of central
tendency are best used in combination with each other because they have
complementary strengths and limitations.
According to the survey questions, the higher or lower the average is, the more
stress affects the employee in the hotel industry. For instance, If the individual
chooses “always” they are more emotional, and this implies they have poor coping
skills.
The response will be analyzed via a Likert scale. Likert items are used to measure
respondents’ attitudes to a particular question or statement. Such as:
• 1 = Always
• 2 = Often
• 3 = Sometimes
• 4 = Rarely
• 5 = Never
A Likert scale is composed of a series of four or more Likert-type items that
represent similar questions combined into a single composite score/variable. Likert
scale data can be analyzed as interval data, i.e., the mean is the best measure of
central tendency. With Likert scale data, we cannot use the mean as a measure of
central tendency as it has no meaning therefore the most appropriate measure is the
mode of the most frequent responses.

Conclusion
The hospitality sector is doing all possible to deliver world-class quality services to
their visitors who travel from all over the world to relax. Whether it's for fun or for
business, the industry places a premium on Employees are under a lot of pressure to
maintain a high level of quality. Improvement can be achieved by implementing a
variety of strategies. It's a fantastic idea. It's critical for management to strike a
balance between the two. Occupational stress is a big concern in the hotel sector
today, affecting profitability, cost, and overall efficiency. Employees are similarly
affected in terms of low productivity, low drive for achievement, lack of interest, ill
health, and so on. So, in order to keep stress at work under control and avoid
unwanted outcomes, employers and managers must use certain measures manage
it.
Understanding the aspects of occupational stress and their relationship to other
essential workplace-related employee traits is critical, as it can help make better
decisions. provides for better and more efficient human resource management, lower
staff turnover, and enhance job satisfaction It's important to keep in mind, though,
that some things are more important than others. However, there are certain
limitations to the study that must be considered when interpreting the research, such
as the small sample size, local business peculiarities, personal traits of individuals
that affect the results, and other sorts of potential bias.

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Because certain demographic groups were underrepresented, the results would be
less significant.
Furthermore, it is well known that service firms' revenues and profitability are
significantly dependent not just on delighted consumers, but also on satisfied and
loyal staff. (Heskett et al., 1994). There are numerous more elements that might
have an impact, but they were not discovered and analyzed in this study. Further
study into extremely particular stressors and stress release mechanisms might not
only be of theoretical interest but could also yield some useful recommendations.

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APPENDIX

Sample result sheet 1

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