Drivers of Hotel Employee Motivation, Satisfaction and Engagement in Riyadh, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

A large and growing body of literature has investigated job satisfaction among hotel employees. However, far too little attention has been paid to the level of job satisfaction among hotel employees in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This research obtained data which may help to address this research gap. The research therefore explored and provided a review of the literature on job satisfaction, motivational factors, and engagement among hotel employees. Specifically, the research investigated the motivational factors, level of job satisfaction and engagement among hotel employees in Riyadh. The research employed a quantitative approach in the form of a survey, with data being gathered via self-administrated questionnaire. The research used a convenience sample of 237 participants working at six different hotels in Riyadh; including five- and four- star rating. The research found that the most important three motivational factors were 'good wages', 'job security', and 'opportunities for advancement and development'. Overall the results demonstrated that hotel employees had high levels of job satisfaction and engagement. The research demonstrated that demographic characteristics such as gender, age, and nationality had an impact on hotel employees' motivation, satisfaction, and engagement, requiring attention from hotel managers in Saudi Arabia in order to cultivate a highly motivated and engaged team. Exploring the drivers of hotel employee motivation, satisfaction and engagement, this research contributes to this critical area of research in a different context. The research offers some important insights for hotel managers in Riyadh.