A Sequential Mixed Method Study of Employee Job Satisfaction in Upscale Restaurants, Malaysia

The study determines the main factors affecting job satisfaction in upscale restaurants and their degree of comparative influence. The research initially involves qualitative data analysis of 20 interviews with restaurant employees representing five upscale restaurants in Kuala Lumpur (KL), followed by structural equation modeling of data retrieved from 368 questionnaires from 16 KL restaurants. The impact variance of four main determinants of job satisfaction are revealed, where the “working environment” has the highest impact, followed by “payment and compensation,” “promotion”, and finally, “workplace fairness”. Crucially, “workplace relationships” have a moderating effect on the relationship between the “work environment” and job satisfaction, implicating industry-applied recommendations to strengthen job satisfaction levels.