Pengaruh Work-life balance terhadap Kinerja Karyawan Generasi Z melalui Stres Kerja sebagai Variabel Mediasi di Tasikmalaya

Abstract

This study examines the influence of Work-life balance on the job performance of Generation Z employees in Tasikmalaya, with work stress as a mediating variable. The increasing workload demands and psychological vulnerabilities characteristic of Generation Z workers—particularly those aged 18 to 29 years—have created significant implications for organizational productivity and employee wellbeing. This study employed a quantitative approach with a causal associative design, involving 100 respondents selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected via an online questionnaire and analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) with SmartPLS software. The findings reveal that Work-life balance exerts a positive and significant direct effect on employee performance. Work-life balance also significantly influences work stress, though in the opposite direction from the hypothesis, suggesting that the measurement instrument captured perceived imbalance rather than balance itself. Work stress demonstrates a positive and significant effect on performance, consistent with the eustress concept applicable to early-career workers. Furthermore, work stress significantly mediates the relationship between Work-life balance and employee performance. These findings imply that organizations employing Generation Z workers should adopt structured workload management policies and functional stress support systems to sustain optimal performance.