Exploring and Understanding Employee Experience in Hawaii Restaurants
Putkonen, Laura (2019)
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2019052912940
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2019052912940
Tiivistelmä
The purpose of this thesis was to explore and understand employee experience in Hawaii Restaurants. Hawaii Restaurants is a restaurant family consisting of three individual restaurants; The Cock, Holiday and Yes Yes Yes, all located in Helsinki.
The thesis had three objectives. The first objective was to explore employee experiences in Hawaii Restaurants and to gain knowledge of employees’ perceptions. The second objective was to deepen understanding of employees’ experiences. The third and final objective was to provide suggestions for improvement.
The concept and significance of employee experience was thoroughly studied and defined, using the most prevalent models and frameworks. Concepts related to employee experience, such as organizational culture and leadership, were introduced and their influence on employee experience was examined.
Characteristics and the state of restaurant industry in Finland were also viewed. A new model, Employee Experience Wheel, was developed based on existing literature, to be suitable especially for restaurant industry.
A quantitative and a qualitative research were conducted in April 2019, in order to accomplish the objectives. First, a survey was used as a quantitative research method, to explore employee experience. Later, a group interview was carried out in order to deepen the understanding of employee experience.
The results of the research in this thesis provide valuable information about how the Hawaii Restaurants organization is experienced as a workplace. The research results were mainly positive, but certain issues emerged and could be improved. The information can be used by both the management as well as the employees, in order to recognize the strengths and improvement points in the organization, and to aim for a winning employee experiences that can benefit the whole organization.
The thesis had three objectives. The first objective was to explore employee experiences in Hawaii Restaurants and to gain knowledge of employees’ perceptions. The second objective was to deepen understanding of employees’ experiences. The third and final objective was to provide suggestions for improvement.
The concept and significance of employee experience was thoroughly studied and defined, using the most prevalent models and frameworks. Concepts related to employee experience, such as organizational culture and leadership, were introduced and their influence on employee experience was examined.
Characteristics and the state of restaurant industry in Finland were also viewed. A new model, Employee Experience Wheel, was developed based on existing literature, to be suitable especially for restaurant industry.
A quantitative and a qualitative research were conducted in April 2019, in order to accomplish the objectives. First, a survey was used as a quantitative research method, to explore employee experience. Later, a group interview was carried out in order to deepen the understanding of employee experience.
The results of the research in this thesis provide valuable information about how the Hawaii Restaurants organization is experienced as a workplace. The research results were mainly positive, but certain issues emerged and could be improved. The information can be used by both the management as well as the employees, in order to recognize the strengths and improvement points in the organization, and to aim for a winning employee experiences that can benefit the whole organization.