CHALLENGES ENCOUNTERED BY NEWLY HIRED EMPLOYEES OF SELECTED TRAVEL AGENCIES IN QUEZON CITY

Abstract

This study examines challenges encountered by newly hired employees at two travel agencies in Quezon City: JVD Event and Travel Management Co. and Frielle Travel and Tours. It aims to identify barriers to successful job adjustment, including insufficient training, unrealistic role expectations, and difficulties with workplace dynamics. The study seeks to inform actionable strategies for improving employee integration and retention in the travel and tourism sector. This study employs a descriptive research design, gathering data from 50 newly hired employees (25 per agency) through a structured questionnaire. The instrument probes key areas such as employee orientation, workload management, client relations, and overall job satisfaction. Collected data are analyzed using frequency distributions and thematic grouping to uncover common adjustment challenges. Analysis revealed that a majority of respondents reported inadequate preparation for core tasks, with 68 percent rating initial training as insufficient. Nearly half cited unrealistic expectations regarding workload and performance metrics. A significant portion of participants experienced difficulty adapting to organizational culture, and 62 percent identified unclear communication and lack of mentorship as primary obstacles to effective integration. The findings underscored the need for targeted interventions to facilitate smoother transitions for new hires. Enhanced training programs were found to be critical for building competence, while structured mentorship initiatives and clear communication channels emerged as key supports. Agencies that implemented these measures observed improved job satisfaction and reduced turnover among recent hires.