Job-Related Activity Patterns, Health Status and Absenteeism-Related Factors of Star-Rated Hotels Staff

Hotel staff have been observed to be involved in workload for long hours with few break times, unpredictable shifting and lifting of heavy loads manually. Although these practices have the potential to reduce health and fitness status of staff thereby compromised productivity in hospitality industry and national development, it has, however, not been established whether the job-related activity patterns of the staff of star-rated hotels have implications on their health status and absenteeism factors.

In total, 70 staff (48.6% male, 51.4% female, mean age = 24.63 ± 12.06) of star-rated hotels in Kumasi were sampled. International physical activity (IPAQ), health status (HSQ-12) and Koen–Müller’s employee absenteeism questionnaires were administered.

About 77.0% spent averagely two hours/day and four days/week on vigorous job-related physical activities (PAs), 90.0% spent averagely four hours/day and five days/week on moderate job-related physical activities (heavy lifting, digging, heavy construction work, climbing upstairs) and spent averagely 1.8 hours/day walking during weekly activity. Job-related activities of the participants correlate significantly with daily vigorous PA (F = 5.625, P-value = 0.000). Participants’ self-reported results showed that vigorous- and moderate-job related activities amounted to good health status. Sleep deprivation, inad-equate rest days, short time with close-knit family predis-posed participants to absenteeism. The significant relationship between health status and absenteeism factors showed 87.2% variability. Participants strongly disagreed to being absent from work due to transport. Job-related activities of star-rated hotels staff are identical with vigorous daily PA, which could be harmful to health. Provision of functional and accessible health-care resources for staffers of star-rated hotels would attenuate unproductive absenteeism.