Effect of leadership strategies on employee performance in the hospitality industry: a case study of Avani hotel, Livingstone.

Abstract

The study looked at the effect of the leadership strategies on employee performance at Avani hotel in Livingstone District. The aim of the study was to establish how management leadership strategies affected employee performancein the hospitality industry. The target population included hotel workers in Livingstone and the study population was selected from Avani Hotel. Correlational design was adopted as the study was quantitative in nature. Data were collected using Kouzes’ and Posner’s Leadership Practices Inventory (LPI). The self-form was administered to the managers while the observer form was administered to the junior staff. The data were analyzed using the descriptive statistics and regression analysis. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version twenty was used to facilitate interpretation of the data. The analysis revealed that management at the Hotel usually led by example, sharing exciting future dreams, supporting decisions people make on their own, making certain that the goals are achievable, and taking initiative to overcome obstacles. The study also revealed that management at the Hotel is usually perceived to be challenging people to be innovative, making people know management is confident in their abilities, supporting decisions people make on their own, giving people freedom and choice to do their work, and speak with conviction about work. Finally, the analysis showed that apart from punctuality among employees, the leadership strategies did not affect employee efficiency, employee creativity, employee-commitment and employee ownership of work at the Hotel. The conclusion of the study is that there is no coordination between the leadership strategies and employee performance at the Hotel. That means that the leadership strategies could be effective in other areas but they have little influence on employee performance. On the other hand, the results suggest that employee performance at the Hotel could be accounted for by other factors rather than the leadership strategies of their managers.Therefore, management needs to revisit the strategies in order to enhance employee performance. The human potential at the company needs to be fully utilised for production.