Abstract:
Labour migration has increasingly affected Sri Lanka’s hospitality sector, with
operational-level hotel workers showing high intentions to seek foreign employment.
Existing research has rarely examined how organisational commitment and broader
economic shocks interact to shape such decisions. This study investigated the
determinants of migration intention among Sri Lankan hotel workers, focusing on
salary dissatisfaction, job satisfaction, work environment, and organisational
commitment, while also considering the moderating role of the economic crisis. The
primary objectives were to assess the direct and mediated effects of these factors on
migration and turnover intention and to evaluate the extent to which the economic
crisis amplifies such effects. A quantitative approach was employed, and data were
gathered through a structured questionnaire from 205 purposively selected hotel
employees across different operational departments. The standardised measurement
scales adapted from prior studies were tested for reliability (Cronbach’s α > 0.7).
Findings from data analysis using multiple regression and moderated mediation
techniques (SPSS) revealed that low salary, poor working conditions, and weak
organisational commitment significantly increase migration intention. Moreover, the
economic crisis amplifies these relationships, underscoring its role as a contextual
accelerator of outbound labour mobility. Migration intention also mediates the link
between workplace conditions and turnover intention, suggesting a complex
decision-making process. The findings provide theoretical contributions by linking
push–pull migration dynamics with organisational commitment under crisis
conditions, an area previously overlooked in migration and hospitality research.
Practically, it underscores the need for targeted retention strategies such as improved
compensation, better working conditions, and strengthened employee engagement to
reduce migration pressure and maintain workforce stability in Sri Lanka’s hospitality
industry. These insights have implications not only for organisational leaders but also
for policymakers seeking to sustain labour in the organisational hospitality sector in
Sri Lanka during economic shocks.
