9 July 2026
vijesti
At the Faculty of Tourism and Rural Development in Požega, the final thesis entitled “Employee Satisfaction and Workplace Wellbeing in Požega: An Empirical Study” was successfully defended by Izzatilla Raxmatullayev, an Erasmus student from Uzbekistan from the School of Hospitality Management and Tourism, Central Asian University, Tashkent, Uzbekistan. The thesis was prepared under the mentorship of Prof. Orhan Uludag, PhD, Vice Dean for Research at the aforementioned institution.
During his Erasmus stay in Požega, the student received professional support from the Faculty’s Vice Deans, Assist. Prof. Berislav Andrlić, PhD, and Assist. Prof. Marko Šostar, PhD. The thesis defense was also attended by the Faculty’s Erasmus Coordinator, Ivana Mikić, further emphasizing the importance of international cooperation and student mobility.
The final thesis explored employee satisfaction and the psychological wellbeing of employees in the hospitality sector in Požega, based on a sample of 113 employees. The research results showed that a positive working atmosphere, flexible scheduling, meaningful work, and managerial recognition strongly influence employee wellbeing and may be more important than material compensation alone. The thesis provides practical recommendations for small hospitality entrepreneurs in smaller tourist destinations, particularly in the areas of non-material motivation and improved work organization. This defense represents an important step forward in the internationalization of the Faculty of Tourism and Rural Development in Požega and confirms the success of the Erasmus programme in connecting students, teachers, and the local community.
