Work-life Balance and Job Satisfaction Among Generation Z Employees: a Critical Review
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Systematic Review
Abstract: As Generation Z becomes the dominant demographic cohort entering the global labor force, organizational human resource practices face an unprecedented paradigm shift regarding work-life balance and employee retention. This critical review systematically synthesizes recent empirical and theoretical literature (2021–2026) examining the nexus between work-life balance dimensions—including flexible hybrid schedules, digital boundary management, autonomous schedule crafting, and mental health support—and job satisfaction among Gen Z employees. Applying PRISMA 2020 protocol, 16 benchmark studies were critically evaluated. Meta-synthesis indicates that work-life integration significantly enhances job satisfaction and organizational loyalty, primarily mediated by perceived autonomy, reduced burnout, and work-family enrichment. However, hyper-connectivity and blurriness in digital work boundaries introduce novel stressors. The review constructs a structural structural equation modeling (SEM) path framework and formulates a multi-level organizational alignment matrix to optimize Gen Z work-life integration.
Institution: Universitas Riau Kepulauan
Language: English
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7225314404