Innovative Human Resource Management Strategies in the Food Service Industry: Basis for an Enhanced HRM Framework

This descriptive-comparative study examined innovative human resource management (HRM) strategies among food service establishments in Cauayan City, Isabela, Philippines, as a basis for an enhanced HRM framework. Using purposive sampling, the investigation surveyed 40 owners, HR managers, and employees associated with qualifying food service small and medium-sized enterprises. A structured questionnaire measured seven dimensions: flexible work systems and employee lifecycle, digital infrastructure and resource support, training and skill development, communication and motivation, employee well-being, health and safety, and organizational effectiveness and leadership. Frequency, percentage, weighted mean, independent-samples t-tests, and analysis of variance were used. Health and safety obtained the highest composite rating (3.43, very high), whereas communication, engagement, and motivation received the lowest (2.18, low). Organizational effectiveness and leadership (3.22), digital resource support (3.00), training (2.97), employee welfare (2.87), and flexible work systems (2.74) were rated high. Most demographic comparisons did not indicate statistically significant differences, although selected item-level exceptions were reported in the original thesis. The findings support an adaptive and resilient HRM framework linking employee safety, digital and flexible operations, workforce development, internal communication, and continuing evaluation. The survey captures respondents' ratings of practices, rather than directly establishing effects on productivity or causal effectiveness. The proposed framework offers a structured basis for managerial planning in food service SMEs under economic uncertainty.