Beyond resilience: The primacy of engagement and social presence in shaping guest satisfaction in social hub and co-living spaces

Abstract

Purpose – This study examines the psychosocial mechanisms underlying guest satisfaction in social hub and co-living hotels in Indonesia, with a focus on the mediating roles of resilience, engagement, and social presence. Grounded in an integrated framework of Relational Systems Theory (RST) and Social Cognitive Theory (SCT), it explores how self-efficacy influences guest satisfaction through these psychosocial pathways whitin hybrid living-service environments.

Design/Methodology/Approach – A quantitative approach was employed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) with LISREL to analyze data from 525 guests in co-living spaces located in Jakarta, Bali, and Yogyakarta. The model tested direct and indirect effects of self-efficacy on satisfaction via resilience, engagement, and social presence, using validated multi-item scales and bootstrapping for mediation analysis.

Findings – Self-efficacy significantly enhances resilience, engagement, and social presence. However, only engagement and social presence were found to mediate the path to satisfaction, with social presence exhibiting the strongest direct and indirect effects. Resilience, despite being predicted by self-efficacy, does not significantly influence satisfaction, challenging conventional assumptions regarding its role in well-being.

Originality/Value – This research offers a novel theoretical integration of RST and SCT, redefining satisfaction as an emergent, relational outcome rather than a function of individual coping. It highlights the primacy of social connection over psychological endurance in transient living environments.

Practical Implications – Operators should prioritize community-building, inclusive programming, and relational service design to enhance engagement and social presence, ultimately driving guest satisfaction in co-living ecosystems.