Impact of Work–Life Balance on Employee Performance Across Generations (Gen X, Millennials & Gen Z)
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: This quantitative study investigates the structural impact of Work–Life Balance (WLB) on Employee Performance (EP) across three active workplace generational cohorts: Generation X, Millennials, and Generation Z. Drawing on Conservation of Resources (COR) theory and Generational Cohort Theory, a conceptual framework was developed to test whether Work Life Balance directly drives task and contextual performance, and whether generational cohort membership moderates this relationship. Primary data were collected through a cross-sectional, highly structured questionnaire administered to working professionals (𝑁=212) across technology, healthcare, financial, and manufacturing sectors. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) established scale convergent and discriminant validity, while Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) and Moderated Multiple Regression (MMR) were utilized for statistical hypothesis testing. The empirical results reveal a strong, positive, and statistically significant main effect of Work–Life Balance on overall Employee Performance (𝛽=0.536,𝑝<0.001). Multigroup Structural Equation Modeling (MG-SEM) confirmed that generational cohort membership acts as a significant moderator (𝛥𝜒2(4)=15.82,𝑝<0.001). Specifically, the positive effect of Work Life Balance on performance is most pronounced among Generation Z (𝛽=0.625,𝑝<0.001), followed closely by Millennials (𝛽=0.514,𝑝<0.001), while remaining moderately positive yet weaker for Generation X (𝛽=0.378,𝑝<0.001). Sub-dimension decomposition demonstrates that psychological detachment and workplace flexibility are the strongest performance drivers for Gen Z and Millennials, whereas boundary stability and schedule control are paramount for Gen X. These findings provide empirical clarity for contemporary human resource strategies, proving that generic Work Life Balance policies fail to optimize organizational performance across demographically diverse workforces.
Authors: Anushree Agarwal, Dr. Neha Mathur
Institution: Inspiration Innovation Synergy University
Language: English
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W7203829201