Inclusive workplaces, committed employees: a job embeddedness perspective on retention

Purpose This study aims to examine the association of inclusive practices with employee retention in the hospitality sector of North India. Drawing on job embeddedness theory, it explores the mediating roles of job embeddedness and affective commitment in the relationship between inclusive practices and employees’ intention to stay. Design/methodology/approach Survey data were collected from 510 employees working in hospitality organisations. The proposed model was tested using partial least squares structural equation modelling. Findings The results indicate that inclusive practices have a non-significant direct association with employees’ intention to stay, while job embeddedness and affective commitment significantly mediate this relationship, including a significant serial mediation pathway. Research limitations/implications The study is limited to hospitality organisations in North India, and future research could incorporate qualitative insights, cross-sectoral comparisons and cultural contexts to enhance generalisability. Practical implications For practitioners, the findings underscore the strategic value of embedding inclusivity into HR practices. Such practices can reduce turnover, enhance employee engagement and provide a competitive advantage in a dynamic service sector. Originality/value This study advances job embeddedness theory by uncovering a sequential psychological mechanism through which inclusive practices translate into employee retention, demonstrating how embeddedness and affective commitment jointly operate as a process rather than independent predictors.