Presumed Incapable: Exploring the Validity of Negative Judgments about Persons with Disabilities and Their Employability in Hotel Operations
Abstract
Research has shown that managers in the hotel industry perceive persons with disabilities as people who lack the required innate capacities and attributes, are unable to meet industry-specific work requirements, and are too costly to employ. A case study of hotels within the German Embrace hotel association finds little support for those negative judgments. Based on interviews with forty-nine managers, employees, and guests with and without disabilities as well as nine days of observations, the study found that employees with disabilities are loyal, are reliable, and, on balance, require moderate accommodations. On average, more than 60 percent of Embrace hotel employees are persons with disabilities. Embrace’s employment concept is based on the integrative model, which aims to create employment opportunities for persons with disabilities who do not find employment in the regular labor market. Many disabilities had no effect on the mobility or shift work of employees. The processes of accommodating and training persons with disabilities were frequently associated with minimal costs, and expenses incurred for some accommodations were offset by German government grants. Moreover, the physical attributes of persons with disabilities did not negatively influence the experiences of guests. The findings indicate that developing an organizational climate of openness and tolerance, placing employees with disabilities at the center of managerial planning and operational processes, and investing in good human resources management practices are essential elements for the integration of persons with disabilities in the workplace.
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Using selection methods with strong predictive validity and matching employee competencies with job requirements can ensure that an employee's disability has no effect on performance.
“he argues that “by using selection methods that provide strong predictive validity of future job performance and matching [an employee’s] competencies with the job requirements, managers can ensure that an employee’s disability has no effect on his or her performance” (p. 121).”
From The Participation of People with Disabilities in the Workplace Across the Employment Cycle: Employer Concerns and Research Evidence (2020) · cites this paper as Gröschl (2013)
Many types of disability have no impact on employees' ability to complete long shifts in industries like hospitality and tourism, including positions requiring mobility.
“Even in industries like hospitality and tourism, in which some positions require mobility (e.g., housekeeping), Gröschl (2013) finds that many types of disability have no impact on employees’ ability to complete long shifts.”
From The Participation of People with Disabilities in the Workplace Across the Employment Cycle: Employer Concerns and Research Evidence (2020) · cites this paper as Gröschl (2013)
Employees with disabilities are perceived as having other performance issues, such as slowing down work, higher absenteeism and lateness, or being less dedicated or dependable than employees without disabilities.
“Relatedly, employees with disabilities are perceived as having other performance issues, such as slowing down work (Hernandez et al., 2008), higher absenteeism and lateness (Gröschl, 2013; Hernandez et al., 2008; Kaye et al., 2011), or simply being less dedicated or dependable (Kaye et al., 2011) than employees without disabilities.”
From The Participation of People with Disabilities in the Workplace Across the Employment Cycle: Employer Concerns and Research Evidence (2020) · cites this paper as Gröschl, 2013
Failure of a person with a disability to meet certain performance standards can be caused by a wide range of factors not related to the person's abilities, including motivation, unclear job requirements, and lack of organizational or managerial support.
“Moreover, “as with any other employee, the failure of a person with a disability to meet certain performance standards can be caused by a wide range of factors that are not related to a person’s abilities, including motivation, unclear job requirements, and lack of organizational or managerial support” (Gröschl, 2013, p. 121).”
From The Participation of People with Disabilities in the Workplace Across the Employment Cycle: Employer Concerns and Research Evidence (2020) · cites this paper as Gröschl, 2013
Immediate feedback that made use of factual and objective examples has benefits when employees with disabilities exhibited low performance.
“Gröschl (2013) shows the benefits of immediate feedback that made use of factual and objective examples when employees with disabilities exhibited low performance.”
From The Participation of People with Disabilities in the Workplace Across the Employment Cycle: Employer Concerns and Research Evidence (2020) · cites this paper as Gröschl (2013)
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Bonaccio, S., Connelly, C. E., Gellatly, I. R., Jetha, A., & Martin Ginis, K. A. (2020) · Journal of Business and Psychology · doi:10.1007/s10869-018-9602-5 · Cited by 491 · see citing works
“Even in industries like hospitality and tourism, in which some positions require mobility (e.g., housekeeping), Gröschl (2013) finds that many types of disability have no impact on employees’ ability to complete long shifts.”
BackgroundInfluentialHoutenville, A., & Kalargyrou, V. (2015) · Cornell Hospitality Quarterly · doi:10.1177/1938965514551633 · Cited by 90 · see citing works
Consumers' perspectives on service staff with disabilities in the hospitality industry
Kuo, P.-J., & Kalargyrou, V. (2014) · International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management · doi:10.1108/ijchm-01-2013-0022 · Cited by 66 · see citing works
Kalargyrou, V., & Volis, A. A. (2014) · Journal of Human Resources in Hospitality & Tourism · doi:10.1080/15332845.2014.903152 · Cited by 66 · see citing works
Customer responses towards disabled frontline employees
Rosenbaum, M. S., Baniya, R., & Seger-Guttmann, T. (2017) · International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management · doi:10.1108/ijrdm-08-2016-0133 · Cited by 40 · see citing works
- Authors
- Gröschl, S.
- Affiliations
- École Supérieure des Sciences Économiques et Commerciales (FR)
- Corresponding author
- Gröschl, Stefan
- ORCID
- Gröschl, Stefan
- Venue
- Cornell Hospitality Quarterly
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2012-08
- Volume
- 54
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 114-123
- ISSN
- 1938-9655 (ISSN-L)
- 1938-9663
- OpenAlex
- W2113980675
- Cited by
- 81
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 7 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 9 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 11 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 11 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 1 · 2015: 5 · 2014: 3 · 2013: 1
- FWCI
- 7.50
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Cornell Hospitality Quarterly (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Safety Research › Disability Education and Employment
- Social Sciences › Safety Research › Disability Rights and Representation
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Inclusion and Disability in Education and Sport
- Keywords
- people with disabilities, hotel industry, hotel employment, workplace accommodations, employee loyalty, worker reliability, human resource management, disability stereotypes, guest perceptions, government grants, workplace integration
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