Northern German hotel employees’ expectations of employer inducements: Development of a context-specific Q-set

Abstract The German hotel industry struggles with employee retention due to stressful working conditions and poor management. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the economic impact of a severe skilled labour shortage, making staff retention a top priority. This research explores the psychological contract of German hotel employees by exploring key aspects of the psychological contract; promises and expectations. It analysed job advertisements to uncover explicit and implicit promises perceived by employees, discussed with experienced hospitality professionals, and generated a list of 41 key expectations. The study reveals that employees prioritize the ability to plan their time and organize their personal lives over benefits like gym memberships and travel discounts. Four main themes emerged: reconciling work and personal life, professionalism, trust, and an engaging environment. Reliable scheduling and accommodating personal plans were the most important expectations. By incorporating these findings into managerial and HRD practices, such as appraisal interviews and onboarding as well as managerial training, hotels can better meet employee expectations, leading to more satisfied and productive staff. The findings indicate that HRM/D practitioners in the industry should engage in long-term career planning with their employees. This paper furthermore contributes to methodological literature on online focus groups and creation of Q Sets.