Enhancing Employee Psychological Well-Being of Tourism SME Workers through Cross-Cultural Knowledge Sharing in Ubud, Bali

Background: Tourism Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Bali face a hidden crisis of chronic occupational stress among frontline workers, exacerbated by intense emotional labor, cultural authenticity pressures, and acculturative stress from continuous interactions with diverse international tourists. The absence of formal HR support structures renders these workers disproportionately vulnerable to burnout, anxiety, and diminished psychological well-being, threatening the sustainability of Bali's visitor economy. Objective: This community service initiative aimed to improve the psychological well-being and cultural intelligence of tourism SME workers in Ubud, Bali, through a participatory cross-cultural knowledge-sharing program. Method: A twelve-week mixed-methods intervention was implemented across three SME sites (a homestay, a restaurant, and an artisanal gallery) involving 42 workers. The program comprised needs assessment, five weekly training sessions (covering Cultural Intelligence, communication styles, emotional labor management, local wisdom as psychological asset, and action planning), structured knowledge-sharing forums, and post-intervention evaluation. Quantitative measures included the WHO 5 Well-Being Index and the Cultural Intelligence Scale (CQS), administered pre- and post-intervention, complemented by qualitative focus groups and individual interviews. Results: WHO 5 scores increased significantly from 54.8 to 68.3, and CQS total scores rose from 72.4 to 84.1. The most pronounced gains were in metacognitive and motivational CQ facets. Qualitative themes included enhanced self-confidence, normalisation of stress discussions, adoption of cognitive reappraisal, and strengthened local cultural identity. Behavioural CQ did not change significantly, indicating the need for longer-term reinforcement. Conclusion: The cross-cultural knowledge-sharing program effectively enhanced psychological well-being and cultural intelligence among tourism SME workers by leveraging social capital, validating local wisdom, and building cognitive-emotional resources. This low-cost, replicable model offers a strategic pathway for investing in workforce resilience, with implications for sustainable tourism development in Bali and similar global destinations.