The mediating role of work engagement in the effect of pygmalion perception of the hotel employees on the intention to leave – İzmir sample

In hotel businesses where production and consumption occur simultaneously, the dedication of employees to their work and their intentions to leave their jobs are concepts that can play a role from the perspective of the establishments. The constant changes in technology and the continuous differentiation of competitors and markets increase inter-company competition. Within this context of intense competition, the continuity of establishments can also depend on the behavioral tendencies of employees. One of the most significant issues for hotel businesses is the high employee turnover rate. The high turnover rate may lead to a loss of qualified workforce in the market competition, posing a challenge for establishments. It can be said that reducing the intention to leave the job can prevent this. Ensuring that employees are motivated, willing to make an effort, have strong self-efficacy beliefs, and are committed to their jobs can lead to a decrease in their intentions to leave. The most appropriate behaviors to meet these needs are Pygmalion and organizational commitment behaviors. In this regard, the main aim of the study is to reveal the mediating role of organizational commitment in the effect of perceived Pygmalion influence from managers on the intention to leave the job among employees of four and five-star hotels operating in İzmir, Turkey. For this purpose, data was collected from 408 employees of four and five-star hotel establishments selected through convenience sampling method in İzmir, Turkey, between December 2021 and February 2022, using face-to-face and online survey methods. As a result of data analysis, it was determined that hotel employees perceived a high level of Pygmalion influence from their managers, they were highly committed to their jobs, and their intention to leave the job was low. Furthermore, it was found that the Pygmalion perception levels of hotel employees had a negative and significant impact on their intention to leave the job, a positive and significant impact on their organizational commitment, and organizational commitment had a negative and significant effect on their intention to leave. Additionally, it was identified that organizational commitment fully mediated the effect of employees' Pygmalion perception on their intention to leave the job. Based on the obtained results, some recommendations have been presented.