represented in the survey. These findings for gender and employment status are
likely due to the fact that, while waiting staff have been surveyed as the
population of interest, the respondents are, nevertheless, waiting staff in hotels,
rather than waiting staff in all hospitality organisations.
Population (UK)Criterion Hotels Restaurants Waiters Sample^
Gender
(%)Female Male Female Male Female Male Female Male
57 43 48 52 72 28 55.5 44.5
Full-/
Part-
Time (%)Full Part Full Part Full Part Full Part
65 35 53 47 32 68 61 39
Origin
(%)UK non-UK UK non-UK UK non-UK UK non-UK
75 25 64 36 75 25 36 64
Age
≤24 25 - 34 >34 ≤24 25 - 34 >34 ≤24 25 - 34 >34 ≤24 25 - 34 >34
30 26 44 41 26 33 66 18 16 54.5 33.5 12
Source of population values: (People 1st 2011a, 2011b, 2011c)Table 6-2 Comparison of sample characteristics with known population values
For respondent origin, the sample contains a higher proportion of non-UK
respondents in comparison with all three categories. Finally, regarding
respondent age, a rather complex picture emerges. Younger (<24 years)
respondents are over-represented in the sample in comparison with the hotel and
restaurant sector data, however, in comparison with the waiters category, the
sample slightly under-represents younger employees. Importantly, the sample
closely reflects the idiosyncrasy on the’ waiters’ population values insofar as
employees over the age of 34 are found in much fewer numbers than in the
general ‘hotels’ and ‘restaurants’ categories.
These complexities in comparing the sample characteristics with the range of
known population values reflects the fact that none of the categorisations in the
published figures accurately reflect the population of interest for this survey. For
example, the waiters category includes all employees in the UK who are
categorised as waiters according to the UK Standard Occupational Classification
(Office for National Statistics 2000). This category will therefore include workers
in not only hotel restaurants, but also those in all restaurants, cafés, casinos,
hospitals, workplace canteens and so on. In a similar fashion, the figures for the
hotels and restaurants categories will include data from all manner and quality of
accommodation providers and catering businesses. Put another way, there are no