The Effect Of Digital Leadership On Work Productivity Based On Employee Motivation And Engagement At Maison Aurelia Sanur Hotel

Risa Pratini; Ni Made Yudhaningsih; I Dewa Nyoman Usadha; Anak Agung Elik Astari

doi:10.63922/ijebir.v5i02.3003

Risa Pratini Faculty of Economics and Business, Mahendradatta University, Denpasar, Indonesia
Ni Made Yudhaningsih Faculty of Economics and Business, Mahendradatta University, Denpasar, Indonesia
I Dewa Nyoman Usadha Faculty of Economics and Business, Mahendradatta University, Denpasar, Indonesia
Anak Agung Elik Astari Faculty of Economics and Business, Mahendradatta University, Denpasar, Indonesia

DOI: https://doi.org/10.63922/ijebir.v5i02.3003

Keywords: digital leadership, employee motivation, employee engagement, work productivity, hospitality industry

Abstract

Digital transformation in the hospitality industry demands adaptive leadership capable of leveraging technology to sustain employee productivity. This study examines the influence of digital leadership on employee motivation, employee engagement, and work productivity, as well as the mediating roles of motivation and engagement in that relationship, at Maison Aurelia Sanur Hotel, Bali, Indonesia. Employing a quantitative explanatory design, data were collected via structured questionnaires administered to all 40 hotel employees through a saturated (census) sampling technique. Partial Least Squares – Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) was applied using SmartPLS 4 software to test direct and indirect hypothetical relationships. Results confirm that digital leadership positively and significantly influences employee motivation (β = 0.482, t = 2.730, p = 0.006), employee engagement (β = 0.764, t = 9.147, p = 0.000), and work productivity (β = 0.318, t = 3.458, p = 0.001). Employee motivation (β = 0.386, t = 3.988, p = 0.000) and employee engagement (β = 0.357, t = 3.294, p = 0.001) also significantly predict work productivity. Mediation testing further establishes that both variables serve as significant mediators, with indirect effects of 0.186 (through motivation, p = 0.019) and 0.272 (through engagement, p = 0.003) respectively. The model accounts for 79.5% of the variance in work productivity (R² = 0.795; Q² = 0.934). These findings underscore the strategic importance of strengthening digital leadership as a managerial approach to improving employee productivity through motivational and engagement mechanisms in the hospitality context.

References

Albrecht, S. L., Bakker, A. B., Gruman, J. A., Macey, W. H., & Saks, A. M. (2020). Employee engagement in theory and practice. Routledge.
Avolio, B. J. (2014). Leadership theory and practice. Sage Publications.
Azzahra, E., Widodo, A., Rubiyanti, N., & Hidayat, A. (2025). The influence of digital leadership and work engagement on company performance through work motivation at PT Telkom Indonesia (Persero) Tbk in the Bogor telecommunication area. East Asian Journal of Multidisciplinary Research.
Azmy, A., & Priyono. (2022). Digital leadership and employee productivity in digital start-up organizations. International Journal of Innovation and Technology Management, 19(3), 1–18.
Bernardin, H. J., & Russell, J. E. A. (2013). Human resource management: An experiential approach. McGraw-Hill Education.
Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2000). Intrinsic and extrinsic motivations: Classic definitions and new directions. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 25(1), 54–67.
Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2020). Self-determination theory: Basic psychological needs in motivation, development, and wellness. Motivation Science, 6(1), 1–5.
El Sawy, O. A., Kræmmergaard, P., Amsinck, H., & Vinther, A. L. (2022). Digital leadership theory. Oxford University Press.
El-Sayed Aly, Y. Z. (2024/2025). Employee engagement mediate: The impact of digital leadership and leadership diversity in shaping operational performance. International Journal of Hospitality Management.
Ghozali, I., & Latan, H. (2017). Partial least squares: Konsep, teknik, dan aplikasi menggunakan SmartPLS 3.0. Universitas Diponegoro Press.
Harter, J. K., Schmidt, F. L., & Hayes, T. L. (2002). Business-unit-level relationship between employee satisfaction, employee engagement, and business outcomes: A meta-analysis. Journal of Applied Psychology, 87(2), 268–279.
Kahn, W. A. (1990). Psychological conditions of personal engagement and disengagement at work. Academy of Management Journal, 33(4), 692–724.
Khan, A., Wang, Y., Khan, N., & Ahmad, A. (2025). Digital leadership enhances employee empowerment, techno-work engagement, and sustainability: SEM analysis in public healthcare. Inquiry: A Journal of Medical Care Organization, Provision and Financing, 62.
Kumar, S., & Singh, R. (2025). A comprehensive review of employee engagement strategies: Theories, practices, and future directions. Journal of Human Resource Development.
Li, Z., Yang, C., Yang, Z., & Zhao, Y. (2024). The impact of middle managers' digital leadership on employee work engagement. Frontiers in Psychology, 15.
McAfee, A., & Brynjolfsson, E. (2017). Machine, platform, crowd: Harnessing our digital future. W. W. Norton & Company.
Meyer, J. P., & Allen, N. J. (1991). A three-component conceptualization of organizational commitment. Human Resource Management Review, 1(1), 61–89.
Mollah, M. A. (2024). Exploring the effect of digital leadership, employee engagement, and employee performance. International Journal of Management Research.
Montani, F., Boudrias, J., & Pigeon, M. (2020). Employee recognition, meaningfulness and behavioural involvement: Test of a moderated mediation model. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 31, 356–384.
Nurshinta, E., Usman, O., & Widyastuti, U. (2023). The influence of digital leadership, digital culture, and technology on organizational performance with digital literacy as moderating variable. International Journal of Professional Business Review, 8(9), 1–22.
Okunlola, B. (2025). A meta-analysis of digital leadership and organizational outcomes: Evidence from 16 international studies. Journal of Digital Management, 12(1), 45–62.
Ongena, G., Morsch, M., & Ravesteijn, P. (2024). Digital leadership competencies for successful digital transformation. Journal of Information Technology, 39(2), 120–137.
Robbins, S. P., & Judge, T. A. (2017). Organizational behavior (17th ed.). Pearson Education.
Sacavém, A., Correia, A., & Reis, L. (2025). Leading in the digital age: The role of digital leadership in organizational transformation. Journal of Leadership Studies, 18(1), 23–38.
Samuel, M., & Ramli, R. (2022). Digital leadership and work outcomes: Evidence from the manufacturing sector. Asian Journal of Business and Management, 10(2), 78–94.
Saputra, F., Putri, A., Danaswati, D., & Putri, R. (2022). The influence of digital leadership and organizational support on employee work engagement. BINUS Business Review, 13(1), 55–70.
Sugiyono. (2008). Metode penelitian kuantitatif, kualitatif, dan R&D. Alfabeta.
Vebryana, V., Herachwati, N., Nadia, F. N. D., & Akbar, R. F. (2024). The influence of digital literacy and digital leadership on employee motivation and ASN performance. Jurnal Manajemen dan Kewirausahaan.
Zia, M., Bashir, M., & Khan, N. (2024). Digital leadership and digital engagement: Pathways to innovative work behavior. Computers in Human Behavior, 151, 107–123.
Zeshan, M., Bhutta, A. I., & Nazir, S. (2025). Digitalization and employee engagement: The role of job resources and job crafting. Sustainability, 17(3), 1234.