HOTEL MANAGERS’ MEMBERSHIP IN HEALTH AND FITNESS CLUBS AND ITS INFLUENCE ON THEIR WORK PRODUCTIVITY: PERSPECTIVES FROM STAR RATED HOTELS WITHIN MOMBASA COUNTY, KENYA

Abstract

Health and fitness clubs have become a pertinent force, influencing not only how managers manage their health, appearance and stress, but also how they socialize, spiritualize, and increase their work output. It is not clear whether Mombasa, a renowned vacation tourist destination with 18 star rated hotels, has fully explored its potential to provide creative, competitive, affordable and productive health and fitness engagement for its managers. The purpose of this study was to examine whether managers’ participation in health and fitness activities in health and fitness clubs in star rated hotels within Mombasa County increased their work productivity. The objectives of the study were [1] to determine the extent to which participation in physical activities found within health and fitness clubs in star rated hotels in Mombasa County enhanced managers’ work productivity, [2] to find out the extent to which participation in psychological activities offered in health and fitness clubs in star rated hotels in Mombasa County enhanced managers’ work productivity, and [3] to establish the extent to which participation in social activities offered in health and fitness clubs in star rated hotels in Mombasa County enhanced managers’ work productivity. The researcher adopted the Six Dimensions of Wellness Model by Hettler (1976). The study adopted a cross-sectional research design and made use of a questionnaire administered to 99 managers of star-rated hotels. Descriptive analysis, correlation, and linear regression analysis, were used to analyze data. The study revealed that, the majority of managers taking part in physical activities improved their physical performance while on duty, improved their physical fitness while on duty; improved their endurance during busy long days; improved their muscle flexibility; and improved their reflexes alertness while working. Further, it was established that for every additional element of managers’ participation in physical activity, managers’ work productivity increased by 0.712; and that 52.2% of managers’ work productivity could be attributed to participation in psychological activities. The study also found that for every additional element of managers’ participation in psychological activities, productivity increased by 0.422; and that 52.2% of managers’ work productivity could be attributed to participation in psychological activities. Finally, for every additional element of managers’ participation in social activities, their work productivity increased by 0.791; and that 61.7% of productivity could be explained by mangers’ participation in social activities. The study recommends that hotel proprietors should engage trained and skilled health and wellness staff to take advantage of the resource rich Mombasa County to provide a variety of physical, psychological and social activities to enhance managers’ productivity at work.