Job Stress and Employee Performance: The Mediating Roles of Organizational Commitment and Job Satisfaction

Abstract

Work-related stress can undermine employee outcomes, particularly among Generation Z workers in service occupations. This study investigates the influence of job stress on employee performance and examines organizational commitment and job satisfaction as mediating mechanisms. A quantitative design was applied to 154 respondents selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected using an online questionnaire and analyzed with SEM-PLS in SmartPLS 4.1. The results indicate that job stress has significant negative effects on organizational commitment, job satisfaction, and employee performance. Conversely, organizational commitment and job satisfaction each make a positive contribution to employee performance. Both variables also carry part of the negative effect of job stress to performance. These findings show that workplace pressure affects performance not only through direct resource depletion, but also by weakening employees’ attachment to the organization and their favorable assessment of the job. Organizations employing Generation Z workers should therefore regulate workloads, strengthen supervisory support, recognize employee contributions, and provide a healthier work environment. Such measures may help sustain commitment and satisfaction while limiting the performance losses associated with job stress.