Research Article

Exploring Part-Time Employee Motivation in The Food and Beverage Organisations: A Case Study Utilizing Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory

Volume: 9 Number: 1 January 28, 2026
EN TR

Exploring Part-Time Employee Motivation in The Food and Beverage Organisations: A Case Study Utilizing Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory

Abstract

This study investigates the motivation of part-time employees in the food and beverage industry. Following an exploratory design, the study was conducted in a campus café environment and 14 part-time employees were interviewed in the United Kingdom (UK). Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory served as the analytical framework and that the data were analysed using thematic analysis with a deductive approach. According to the findings, economic and administrative factors explain the participants' motivation as hygiene factors, helping to reduce dissatisfaction and maintain a basic level of stability. However, psycho-social factors such as recognition, socialisation, social support, cultural elements, and the work itself—such as flexibility, convenience, and work-life balance—were also found to explain part-time employees' motivation. These elements highlight that motivation is not purely financial but also strongly linked to interpersonal relations, organisational culture, and job design. While the mainstream literature predominantly focuses on the experiences of full-time employees, this study offers valuable insights into the rarely examined motivation of part-time employees.

Keywords

Ethical Statement

The article complies with national and international research and publication ethics. Otherwise, GSI Journals Serie A: Advancements in Tourism Recreation and Sports Sciences Journal has no responsibility and all responsibility belongs to the article authors. Ethics Committee Approval: This study was approved by the Anadolu University Research Ethics Committee (approval no. 2023/508308) on May 2, 2023.)

Thanks

We would like to express our sincere gratitude to Nihal Şahin for her invaluable assistance in data collection for this study. Her support and dedication have significantly contributed to the completion of this research. We also extend our appreciation to all the participants who took the time to share their experiences, making this study possible.

References

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  2. Berg, B. L. (2004). Qualitative Research Methods for the Social Sciences (5th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education.
  3. Booth, A. L., & Van Ours, J. C. (2008). Job satisfaction and family happiness: the part‐time work puzzle. The Economic Journal, 118(526), F77-F99. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-0297.2007.02117.x
  4. Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative research in psychology, 3(2), 77-101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa
  5. Choi, K., Fang, M., & Khatter, A. (2022). What motivates employees to work in the hotel industry?: Quarantine hotel employees’ perspectives. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 53, 96-99. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhtm.2022.09.004
  6. Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2017). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage publications.
  7. Curtis, C. R., Upchurch, R. S., & Severt, D. E. (2009). Employee motivation and organizational commitment: A comparison of tipped and nontipped restaurant employees. International Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Administration, 10(3), 253-269. https://doi.org/10.1080/15256480903088469
  8. Czerwińska-Lubszczyk, A., & Jankowiak, N. (2025). Motivation in The Workplace–A Generational Perspective. Management Systems in Production Engineering, 33(1) 100-114. https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/link_gateway/2025MSPE...33..100C/doi:10.2478/mspe-2025-0011

Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Human Resources and Industrial Relations (Other)

Journal Section

Research Article

Early Pub Date

January 28, 2026

Publication Date

January 28, 2026

Submission Date

September 22, 2025

Acceptance Date

December 15, 2025

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Volume: 9 Number: 1

APA
Zencir Çiftçi, E., & Aşan, K. (2026). Exploring Part-Time Employee Motivation in The Food and Beverage Organisations: A Case Study Utilizing Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory. GSI Journals Serie A: Advancements in Tourism Recreation and Sports Sciences, 9(1), 261-274. https://doi.org/10.53353/atrss.1759882
AMA
1.Zencir Çiftçi E, Aşan K. Exploring Part-Time Employee Motivation in The Food and Beverage Organisations: A Case Study Utilizing Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory. ATRSS. 2026;9(1):261-274. doi:10.53353/atrss.1759882
Chicago
Zencir Çiftçi, Ebru, and Kübra Aşan. 2026. “Exploring Part-Time Employee Motivation in The Food and Beverage Organisations: A Case Study Utilizing Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory”. GSI Journals Serie A: Advancements in Tourism Recreation and Sports Sciences 9 (1): 261-74. https://doi.org/10.53353/atrss.1759882.
EndNote
Zencir Çiftçi E, Aşan K (February 1, 2026) Exploring Part-Time Employee Motivation in The Food and Beverage Organisations: A Case Study Utilizing Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory. GSI Journals Serie A: Advancements in Tourism Recreation and Sports Sciences 9 1 261–274.
IEEE
[1]E. Zencir Çiftçi and K. Aşan, “Exploring Part-Time Employee Motivation in The Food and Beverage Organisations: A Case Study Utilizing Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory”, ATRSS, vol. 9, no. 1, pp. 261–274, Feb. 2026, doi: 10.53353/atrss.1759882.
ISNAD
Zencir Çiftçi, Ebru - Aşan, Kübra. “Exploring Part-Time Employee Motivation in The Food and Beverage Organisations: A Case Study Utilizing Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory”. GSI Journals Serie A: Advancements in Tourism Recreation and Sports Sciences 9/1 (February 1, 2026): 261-274. https://doi.org/10.53353/atrss.1759882.
JAMA
1.Zencir Çiftçi E, Aşan K. Exploring Part-Time Employee Motivation in The Food and Beverage Organisations: A Case Study Utilizing Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory. ATRSS. 2026;9:261–274.
MLA
Zencir Çiftçi, Ebru, and Kübra Aşan. “Exploring Part-Time Employee Motivation in The Food and Beverage Organisations: A Case Study Utilizing Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory”. GSI Journals Serie A: Advancements in Tourism Recreation and Sports Sciences, vol. 9, no. 1, Feb. 2026, pp. 261-74, doi:10.53353/atrss.1759882.
Vancouver
1.Ebru Zencir Çiftçi, Kübra Aşan. Exploring Part-Time Employee Motivation in The Food and Beverage Organisations: A Case Study Utilizing Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory. ATRSS. 2026 Feb. 1;9(1):261-74. doi:10.53353/atrss.1759882

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