Fostering work engagement through inclusive workplace practices: A case study of the hospitality industry in Lombok, Indonesia

This study examines the relationship between inclusive workplace practices and work engagement among employees in the hospitality industry in Lombok, Indonesia. Lombok represents a rapidly developing tourism destination characterised by high workforce diversity and persistent challenges related to employee turnover and disengagement. Using a cross-sectional survey of 200 frontline and supervisory hotel employees from 15 hospitality establishments across major tourism hubs in Lombok, the study investigates how perceived inclusivity – which covers cultural respect, equitable treatment, inclusive leadership and open communication – relates to employees’ work engagement as measured by the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES-9). Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation and multiple regression analysis. The findings reveal a strong and statistically significant positive correlation between inclusive workplace practices and overall work engagement. The study contributes empirical evidence from an emerging tourism destination in Southeast Asia, highlighting the importance of inclusivity as a contextual human resource strategy in fast-growing, multicultural hospitality settings. Practical implications are discussed for hospitality managers seeking to enhance employee engagement and organisational sustainability.