GENDER DIVERSITY MANAGEMENT, EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT, AND INTENTION TO STAY IN EGYPTIAN HOTELS: A MIXED-METHOD APPROACH

Abstract

The Egyptian hotel sector, with a significant gender gap, faces challenges in managing employee relations under new work models. Implementing gender diversity management practices (GDMPs) - such as equal pay and mentoring - is vital to address this gap and ensure equal opportunities. These practices foster an inclusive workplace, which enhances employee commitment, reduces turnover, and improves overall organizational stability and performance. Grounded in the theory of planned behavior and attachment theory, this research comprises two studies; the primary objective of the first one is to investigate the relationship between the implementation of GDMPs, employee engagement - encompassing physical, emotional, and cognitive dimensions - and the intention to stay within the hotel. Additionally, it investigates the role of gender as a moderating variable. While the second one seeks to delineate the specific GDMPs and their resultant effects. This research employs a mixed-methods sequential explanatory design, initiating with the collection of quantitative data through a questionnaire (Study 1) administered to 522 employees within the hotel sector in Egypt, followed by qualitative data obtained from in-depth interviews (Study 2) conducted with 13 employees in similar establishments. The findings indicate that the implementation of GDMPs exerts a positive influence on both employee engagement and the intention to stay. Gender also serves as a moderator within the established relationships in the proposed model. Four sub-themes are identified as components of GDMPs. The implementation of GDMPs culminates in favorable outcomes that can be categorized into three overarching themes: organizational-level, grouplevel, and employee-level outcomes. The research will enrich the hospitality diversity, equity, and inclusion literature and provide valuable practical implications, as it shows implementing gender diversity policies improves employee engagement and reduces turnover, presenting a successful model for human resource management in hotels.