The Effect of Workload on Employee Performance: The Mediating Role of Work-Life Balance and Job Satisfaction among Remote Workers
(1) Balikpapan University
(2) Universitas Balikpapan
(3) Universitas Balikpapan
(4) Universitas Balikpapan
(*) Corresponding Author
Abstract
The rise of remote work has prompted renewed interest in understanding the factors influencing employee performance. This study investigates the direct and indirect effects of workload on employee performance, with work-life balance and job satisfaction as mediating variables. Utilizing a quantitative research design, data were collected from 160 remote employees across major Indonesian cities and analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The findings indicate that workload positively and significantly affects employee performance, both directly and indirectly through job satisfaction. However, work-life balance does not significantly mediate this relationship. Job satisfaction emerged as a crucial psychological mechanism that amplifies the effect of workload on performance. These results suggest that intrinsic factors, such as meaningful job experiences and satisfaction, are more influential than external balance mechanisms in driving remote employee productivity. The study contributes to the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) literature by clarifying the role of motivational versus strain-related mediators in remote work settings. Organizations are advised to focus on enhancing job satisfaction through recognition and meaningful task assignment, rather than relying solely on work-life balance initiatives.
Keywords
References
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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.33019/ijbe.v10i3.1279
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