The role of sense of calling in the relationships between human resource practices, turnover intention and employee satisfaction in the hotel industry

Purpose The main aim of the present research is to investigate the role of sense of calling (SOC) in the relationships between human resource practices (HRP), turnover intention (TI) and employee satisfaction (ES) in the hotel industry. Moreover, it also examines whether the relationships between these variables are different for city and resort hotel employees. Design/methodology/approach Quantitative research was employed to test the proposed hypotheses, and the survey technique was used to collect data. The participants of the research consist of 432 hotel employees who work in Antalya, Turkey. The hypotheses were tested using the partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS–SEM) analyses. Findings The results of the analysis have shown that SOC significantly impacts the ES and TI, and HRP could be a new antecedent of SOC. On the other hand, while ES is positively affected by HRP, the SOC has a moderating role in the relationship between these variables. Practical implications Hotel authorities' understanding of the SOC’s role in employee attitudes and behavior would be a significant factor not only in retaining them but also in reducing employee turnover. They should consider increasing employees' SOC by focusing on HRP. Originality/value Besides being one of the few studies that have discussed SOC in the hospitality literature, the current study also contributes by examining the role of SOC in the relationships between HRP, ES and TI. It also adds value to the calling literature by revealing whether the relationship between these variables differs for city and resort hotel employees.