Managers' Attitudes Towards Employees with Disabilities in the Hospitality Industry

Abstract

<p>People with disabilities face many challenges when integrating into the workforce, overcoming co-workers and employers’ negative attitudes and perceptions is one such challenge. This study aimed to assess U.S. hotel and restaurant managers’ attitudes towards employees with disabilities. Paper questionnaires were mailed to 836 hotel and restaurant managers in a Midwestern state of the United States, 124 were returned for a response rate of 15%. Managers’ attitudes about teamwork, costs, training, characteristics, and skills were analyzed. No significant differences were noted in attitudes based on manager’s age, gender, or experience with disabled employees. Additional training and education is needed to help increase current and future hotel and restaurant managers’ knowledge to promote success in working with people with disabilities. This study found hotel and restaurant managers had positive attitudes toward training and working with people with disabilities therefore, the hospitality industry should be considered an industry with viable employment opportunities for people with disabilities.</p>