Investigation of the Employees High Turnover in the Saudi Arabian Hospitality Sector

Abstract

Employee turnover is a costly issue for all types of organizations, as it leads to a loss of organizational knowledge and also imposes costs in the form of hiring and training. This study aims to study employee turnover in the Saudi hospitality sector through primary research. The study conducted open-ended interviews with ten current and former employees within the hospitality sector. The results of the study showed that employee turnover is a problem within the researched industry, and the problem mostly originates from employee burnout that occurs due to the service-oriented nature of the hospitality sector, and the work pressure during high demand seasons such as the annual pilgrimage. COVID-19 pandemic has adversely affected the global tourism industry, and companies in Saudi hospitality sector, which in turn have experienced a drain of their top talent due to the dim future of the industry.