Labour Turnover Management and Business Continuity in the Nigerian Hospitality Industry: A Study of Selected Hotels in Abuja

This study investigates labour turnover management strategies and their effect on business continuity in selected hotels in Abuja, Federal Capital Territory, North Central Nigeria. The Nigerian hospitality industry faces persistent high-turnover challenges, particularly among skilled hospitality personnel who frequently migrate to competitor hotels, international chains, or emigrate for overseas employment. The study employs a descriptive survey design, with primary data collected from HR directors, general managers, and frontline employees across ten four and five-star hotels in Abuja through structured questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. Secondary data on staff turnover rates, replacement costs, and guest satisfaction scores are sourced from hotel HR records. The study is anchored on Mobley's Employee Turnover Model and the Business Continuity Planning framework. Findings reveal that hotels with dedicated talent retention programmes, structured career pathing, and competitive total reward packages sustain significantly lower turnover rates and higher guest satisfaction scores than those relying on reactive replacement hiring. The study also identifies a strong correlation between supervisor development investment and reduced turnover at the unit level, confirming that direct management relationships are the most proximate determinant of retention. Business continuity metrics, including service delivery consistency during peak occupancy periods, deteriorate measurably during high-turnover quarters. Recommendations include formalising turnover risk as a business continuity metric, embedding retention planning in annual HR budgeting, and developing cross-training programmes to improve workforce resilience. Keywords: Labour Turnover, Business Continuity, Hospitality Industry, Hotels, Abuja.