Volume 7.
Number 1, 2026 https://ijble.
com/index.
php/journal/index Work-Life Balance and Performance: The Mediating Role of Job Satisfaction at BPS North Maluku 1Muhammad Mansur, 2Abdul Wahab Hasyim, 3Irfandi Buamonabot 123Faculty of Economics and Business.
Khairun University Email: mhmmdmnsr0506@gmail.
ABSTRACT
This study analyzes the influence of work-life balance on employee performance with job satisfaction as a mediating variable among employees of the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) in North Maluku Province.
Using a quantitative approach, data were collected from 100 millennial and Generation Z employees through a structured questionnaire and analyzed using hierarchical regression in SPSS 25.
The results show that work-life balance has a positive and significant effect on job satisfaction and employee performance.
Job satisfaction also positively and significantly improves employee performance and partially mediates the relationship between work-life balance and performance.
These findings indicate that employees who maintain a balanced work and personal life tend to experience higher job satisfaction, which, in turn, enhances their The study highlights the importance of organizational policies that support work-life balance to strengthen well-being and productivity within public sector institutions.
DOI.
https://doi.
org/10.
56442/ijble.
Keywords:
Work-life Balance .
Job Satisfaction.
Employee Performance.
Mediation.
INTRODUCTION
Work-life balance has become an essential issue in modern organizations, particularly as employees face increasing job demands and pressure to maintain optimal performance.
Greenhaus and Allen .
define work-life balance as the extent to which individuals are equally engaged and satisfied with both work and nonwork roles.
When balance is achieved, employees generally experience lower stress, higher motivation, and improved job satisfaction, all of which support positive performance outcomes (Luthans, 2.
Conversely, an imbalance between professional and personal responsibilities can lead to fatigue, reduced commitment, and deteriorating performance levels.
In public sector institutions such as the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) in North Maluku Province, employees, predominantly millennials and Generation Z, are confronted with tight deadlines, additional work assignments, and high-performance Interestingly, despite these pressures.
BPS performance reports show that annual organizational targets are consistently achieved or even exceeded.
This creates an important gap between increasing job demands and sustained performance, suggesting that psychological mechanisms, such as job satisfaction, may influence how employees manage work-life demands.
Previous studies generally support the positive influence of work-life balance on job satisfaction and employee performance (Robbins & Judge, 2017.
Luthans.
However, empirical findings are not fully consistent.
Some studies found that Work-life balance has a negative and significant effect on employee performance at the Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises (SME.
Service of North Sulawesi Province (Timbelung 2.
These contradictory findings indicate the need Volume 7.
Number 1, 2026 https://ijble.
com/index.
php/journal/index for further investigation, especially in government institutions with unique bureaucratic characteristics and rising productivity expectations.
Given these inconsistencies, it becomes important to analyze how work-life balance influences employee performance through job satisfaction, particularly within the operational context of BPS in North Maluku Province.
Therefore, this study aims to examine the influence of work-life balance on employee performance with job satisfaction as a mediating variable.
Literature Review Work-Life Balance Work-life balance is an individual's ability to balance involvement, time, and satisfaction between work and personal life (Greenhaus & Allen, 2.
Imbalance can lead to stress, fatigue, and decreased performance, while balance tends to improve psychological well-being and productivity.
Previous research has shown that work-life balance can improve employee job satisfaction and performance (Robbins & Judge.
Luthans, 2.
However, there are inconsistent findings, such as Timbelung .
, who found a negative impact in the context of certain government agencies.
Job Satisfaction Job satisfaction is an individual's emotional response to their job, based on a comprehensive evaluation of its various aspects (Spector, 1.
High job satisfaction directly contributes to increased motivation, commitment, and performance (Luthans.
Several studies have found that work-life balance increases job satisfaction (Sayekti, 2019.
Aliya et al.
, 2.
, but other studies have shown different results (Kurnia et al.
, 2.
Employee Performance Employee performance is the quality and quantity of work performed in carrying out tasks in accordance with responsibilities (Mangkunegara, 2.
Performance is influenced by motivation, ability, working conditions, job satisfaction, and work-life balance (Robbins & Judge, 2.
Previous research has shown that job satisfaction has a significant influence on performance (Oktavianti, 2020.
Kurnia et al.
, 2.
although inconsistent results, such as those found in Kristine .
, have been Hypotheses In this research model, work-life balance is proposed to have both a direct effect on employee performance and an indirect effect through job satisfaction as a mediating variable.
These relationships form the basis for developing the hypotheses as follows:.
H1: Work-life balance has a positive and significant effect on employee performance.
H2: Work-life balance has a positive and significant effect on job satisfaction.
H3: Job satisfaction has a positive and significant effect on employee performance.
H4: Job satisfaction partially mediates the effect of work-life balance on employee performance.
Volume 7.
Number 1, 2026 https://ijble.
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php/journal/index Research Model Figure 1 Conceptual Framework The conceptual framework of this study illustrates the relationship between work-life balance, job satisfaction, and employee performance.
Work-life balance is proposed to influence employee performance both directly and indirectly through job satisfaction as a mediating variable.
This model is developed based on previous theories and empirical studies indicating the role of job satisfaction in strengthening the effect of work-life balance on performance.
METHOD
This study employed a quantitative research design to analyze the influence of work-life balance on employee performance with job satisfaction as a mediating The population consisted of employees of the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) in North Maluku Province, specifically those from millennial and Generation Z A total of 100 respondents were selected using saturated sampling, as all employees who met the age criteria were included.
Data were collected using a structured questionnaire comprising validated measurement items, which were subjected to factor analysis to ensure construct validity, and reliability testing was conducted to confirm internal consistency.
The variables of work-life balance, job satisfaction, and employee performance were measured using Likert scales.
To test the hypotheses, hierarchical regression analysis was conducted using SPSS 25.
This approach allowed the assessment of both the direct effects of work-life balance on job satisfaction and employee performance, as well as the mediating effect of job satisfaction.
The mediation test followed the guidelines for indirect-effect analysis by comparing regression models across stages.
All statistical decisions were made with a significance level of 0.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Table 1.
Regression Result: Work-life Balance on Employee Performance (H.
Coefficientsa Unstandardized Coefficients Model 1 (Constan.
Work-life balance 3,183 14,071 Sig.
0,000
0,284
4,510
0,000
Dependent Variable: Employee Performance Source: SPSS, 2025 Volume 7.
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php/journal/index The hierarchical regression analysis shows that work-life balance has a positive and significant effect on employee performance, with a regression coefficient of 0.
and a significance value of 0.
000 (< 0.
These results indicate that higher levels of work-life balance directly contribute to improved performance among employees of the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) in North Maluku Province.
Table 2.
Regression Result: Work-life Balance on Job Satisfaction (H.
Coefficientsa Unstandardized Coefficients Model 1 (Constan.
Work-life Balance 2,195 9,724 Sig.
0,000
0,455
7,232
0,000
Dependent Variable: Job Satisfaction Source: SPSS, 2025 The second regression model reveals that work-life balance significantly improves job satisfaction, with a coefficient of 0.
455 and a significance value of 0.
(< 0.
This suggests that employees who experience balanced work and personal life tend to report higher levels of job satisfaction.
Table 3.
Regression Result: Job Satisfaction on Employee Performance (H.
Coefficientsa Unstandardized Coefficients Model 1 (Constan.
Job Satisfaction 2,340 8,089 Sig.
0,000
0,484
6,430
0,000
Dependent Variable: Employee Performance Source: SPSS, 2025 The second regression model reveals that work-life balance significantly improves job satisfaction, with a coefficient of 0.
455 and a significance value of 0.
(< 0.
This suggests that employees who experience balanced work and personal life tend to report higher levels of job satisfaction.
Table 4 Direct.
Indirect and Total Effect for Job Satisfaction Variable Work-life Balance-Employee performance Work-life Balance-Job Satisfaction Job Satisfaction-Employee Performance Direct
0,284
0,455
0,484
Indirect
0,220
Total Effect
0,504
Source: SPSS 2025 The mediation results indicate that work-life balance has a direct effect of 0.
on employee performance, while the indirect effect through job satisfaction is 0.
The total effect increases to 0.
504, showing that both pathways contribute positively.
Since the direct effect remains significant after controlling for the mediator, the mediation is considered partial.
This means job satisfaction strengthens but does not replace the influence of work-life balance on performance.
Discussion The results of this study show that work-life balance significantly improves employee performance.
This finding aligns with previous empirical research, which demonstrated that employees who experience a balance between work and personal roles tend to perform better due to reduced stress and improved psychological wellbeing.
Similar results were reported by Bataineh .
, who showed that work-life Volume 7.
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php/journal/index balance has a significant effect on employee performance, as it can foster a pleasant working atmosphere .
appiness at wor.
and directly increase productivity.
In the context of BPS North Maluku, where employees often work under tight deadlines, balanced work conditions appear to help maintain stable performance levels.
The result of this study shows that work-life balance has a strong and significant impact on job satisfaction.
This result is consistent with the studies by Sayekti .
and Aliya et al.
, which found that work-life balance positively influences job satisfaction because employees who manage their time and energy in a balanced manner are more likely to achieve happiness and emotional peace in the workplace.
For millennial and Generation Z employees who dominate the workforce at BPS North Maluku, work-life balance is closely tied to their preferred work environment.
These generations tend to value autonomy, flexibility, and well-being, which help explain why balance strongly shapes their job satisfaction.
The result of this study shows that job satisfaction contributes significantly to employee performance.
This finding is consistent with Luthans' .
view that job satisfaction results from an individual's perception of how well their work fulfills personal needs and values.
Employees who are satisfied with their jobs will exhibit a positive attitude toward their duties and responsibilities, thereby increasing In BPS North Maluku, where accuracy and timeliness are essential, employees who feel satisfied with their work environment appear more committed to maintaining high performance standards.
This reinforces the notion that satisfaction is a key internal driver of performance.
The mediation test further shows that job satisfaction partially mediates the relationship between work-life balance and employee performance.
This research also supports the findings of Bataineh .
and Aslam .
, which showed that worklife balance influences performance both directly and through job satisfaction as an intermediary variable.
This means that job satisfaction is a crucial bridge that strengthens the relationship between work-life balance and individual performance.
CONCLUSION
This study analyzed the influence of work-life balance on employee performance with job satisfaction as a mediating variable among employees of the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) in North Maluku Province.
The results show that work-life balance significantly improves both job satisfaction and employee The study also confirms that job satisfaction increases performance and partially mediates the relationship between work-life balance and performance.
This means work-life balance contributes to performance directly as well as through enhanced job satisfaction.
Overall, the findings highlight the importance of organizational practices that support employee well-being, particularly for younger generations in the public sector.
Improving work-life balance may strengthen job satisfaction and encourage more consistent, effective performance.
Acknowledgment The author would like to express sincere appreciation to the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) of North Maluku Province for granting permission and support during the data collection process.
Gratitude is also extended to all employees who Volume 7.
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php/journal/index participated as respondents and contributed valuable information to this study.
The author further acknowledges the guidance and assistance provided by all individuals who supported the completion of this research.
Reference