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

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.