The impact of using a virtual employee engagement platform (VEEP) on employee engagement and intention to stay

Purpose - The purpose of this study is to investigate whether the perceived ease of use and the usefulness of a virtual employee engagement platform (VEEP) positively influence employees' intentions to use the VEEP and, in turn, actual use of VEEP. This study further examined how using the VEEP influences employee engagement as well as two organizational outcomes (i.e. employee participation and intention to stay). Design/methodology/approach - The survey items for this study were developed based on the technology acceptance model (TAM) and motivation theory. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test the proposed relationships in a sample of 373 employees of a hospitality organization in the USA. Findings - The results indicate that employees' perceived ease of use and usefulness of a hospitality company's VEEP positively influence employees' intentions to use the VEEP. The study also found employees with greater intentions to use their company's VEEP tend to use the VEEP more frequently, which in turn positively influenced their engagement. Eventually, the more-engaged employees showed a higher level of participation, as well as intention to stay. Practical implications - This study addresses the call by researchers to demonstrate how a VEEP can positively influence employee engagement and to present new insights into how employee engagement can contribute to improving organizational outcomes in a hospitality setting. Originality/value - This study is the first empirical study involving the emergent field of engagement platforms and employee engagement in a hospitality setting. Moreover, this research provides support for increased adoption and investment in the VEEP by hospitality companies.