Work-family balance as a potential strategic advantage: A hotel general manager perspective

This qualitative study is an exploratory attempt to investigate hotel general managers' (GMs) perceived work-family balance/interface issues from a strategic perspective. Based on 49 in-person, in-depth, in-office, interviews with full-service hotel GMs, the authors identify current strategic issue perceptions (SIPs) of hotel GMs and explore potential relationships between these SIPs and work-family issues in the hotel industry. Findings suggest that work-family issues, including workplace flexibility, turnover, knowledge management, and career advancement are influenced by hotel culture and the GM's management style; and when human resources are perceived as a competitive advantage by the hotel GMs, the work-family issues are indeed related to the hotel GM's perceived strategic issues.