THE EFFECT OF WORKLOAD, WORK ENVIRONMENT, AND WORK-LIFE BALANCE ON THE JOB SATISFACTION OF GENERATION Z EMPLOYEES

Abstrak

This study examines the effect of workload, work environment, and work-life balance on the job satisfaction of Generation Z employees. Grounded in the Job Demands–Resources framework, workload is deliberately positioned as a hindrance demand predicted to reduce job satisfaction, so that the direction of the relationship is committed to before analysis. A survey of 105 Generation Z employees selected through purposive sampling was analysed using PLS-SEM with SmartPLS 4. The measurement model satisfied all convergent validity, discriminant validity, and construct reliability criteria, and the structural model yielded an R-square of 0.357. Contrary to prediction, workload had a positive and significant effect on job satisfaction; because the direction opposes the hypothesis, the first hypothesis is rejected rather than reinterpreted. Work environment and work-life balance had positive but non-significant effects, so the second and third hypotheses are also rejected. The findings indicate that workload operates as a challenge demand rather than a hindrance demand in this sample, while work-life balance behaves as a hygiene factor whose fulfilment does not automatically raise satisfaction. The challenge–hindrance classification therefore requires generational calibration.