Emotional Leadership Attributes and Staff Retention in Hotel Housekeeping Departments: Evidence from Colombo, Sri Lanka
W. A. N. Jayanga
London Metropolitan University, United Kingdom.
K. A. K. Gunawardana *
Department of English Language Teaching, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Sri Lanka.
A. K. Schumacher
London Metropolitan University, United Kingdom.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
High employee turnover in hotel housekeeping departments remains an important operational concern for the hospitality sector, particularly in urban hotel markets where service quality depends strongly on staff continuity and supervisory support. This study examined the relationship between emotional leadership attributes and staff retention among housekeeping employees in selected three-star to five-star hotels in Colombo, Sri Lanka. A quantitative cross-sectional survey design was adopted, and data were collected through a structured questionnaire administered to housekeeping employees across seven hotels. Of the 369 questionnaires distributed, 360 complete and valid responses were used for analysis. The questionnaire measured four emotional leadership attributes, namely self-awareness, self-management, social awareness and relationship management, together with staff retention, using a five-point Likert scale. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, reliability analysis, correlation analysis and chi-square tests with IBM SPSS. The reliability coefficients for all constructs exceeded 0.93, indicating high internal consistency. Descriptive findings showed strong respondent agreement regarding the importance of emotional leadership behaviours in the housekeeping work environment. Correlation results indicated weak but statistically significant positive associations between staff retention and self-awareness and self-management, while social awareness and relationship management showed negligible linear associations. Chi-square results indicated statistically significant associations between all four emotional leadership attributes and staff retention. The findings suggest that emotionally aware and self-regulated supervisory behaviour may contribute to a more supportive work environment for housekeeping employees. However, the weak correlation values indicate that emotional leadership should be understood as one among several factors influencing retention. The study offers practical implications for leadership development, supervisor training and employee-support practices in hotel housekeeping departments.
Keywords: Emotional leadership, emotional intelligence, staff retention, hotel housekeeping, hospitality management, supervisor behaviour, self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship management