Work-Life Balance as a Mediator of Job Satisfaction among Indonesian Expatriates

https://doi.org/10.35912/jakman.v6i4.4514
Published: Sep 2, 2025

Abstract:

Purpose: Expatriate job satisfaction has emerged as a critical topic in the context of increasing global workforce mobilities. This study aims to understand how lifestyle, job security, and work-life balance affect the job satisfaction of Indonesian expatriates living and working in Thailand.

Methodology/approach: A quantitative research method was employed. A survey with structured questionnaires was administered to 200 Indonesian expatriates who had worked in Thailand for more than one year. The data were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) with the help of SmartPLS software to examine the relationships between the factors.

Results: The study found that lifestyle, job security, and work-life balance all have a positive and significant impact on job satisfaction. It also showed that work-life balance plays an important role in connecting lifestyle and job security to the overall job satisfaction.

Conclusions: Non-financial factors such as a good lifestyle, feeling secure in one’s job, and having a balance between work and personal life are very important for Indonesian expatriates’ job satisfaction. Employers and decision-makers should seriously consider these factors.

Limitations: The study only focused on Indonesian expatriates in Thailand who had worked there for more than a year; therefore, the results might not apply to all expatriates or other countries.

Contribution: This study provides insights for employers, HR professionals, and policymakers in Indonesia on improving job satisfaction and reducing the need for skilled workers to move abroad. It adds to the fields of international human resource management and expatriate studies.

Keywords:
1. Expatriate
2. Lifestyle
3. Life Satisfaction
4. Security Work-Life Balance
Authors:
1 . Deske W. Mandagi
2 . Citra Adriana Gerungan
3 . Ronny H. Walean
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How to Cite
Mandagi, D. W., Gerungan, C. A. ., & Walean, R. H. . (2025). Work-Life Balance as a Mediator of Job Satisfaction among Indonesian Expatriates. Jurnal Akuntansi, Keuangan, Dan Manajemen, 6(4), 865–879. https://doi.org/10.35912/jakman.v6i4.4514
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Issue & Section
Vol. 6 No. 4 (2025): September
Articles
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References

    Al-Harazneh, R., Al-Oweidat, I. A., & Nashwan, A. J. (2024). The influence of job security on job performance among Jordanian nurses. International Journal of Africa Nursing Sciences, 20, 100681. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijans.2024.100681

    Ateeq, A., Alaghbari, M. A., Milhem, M., Ateeq, R. A., & Yusuf, A. Y. A. (2024). The Impact of the Work Environment in the Organization on Job Security for Employees: An Applied Study on Al-Rawabi Private School in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Paper presented at the 2024 International Conference on Decision Aid Sciences and Applications (DASA).

    Bazzoli, A., & Probst, T. M. (2022). Taking stock and moving forward: A textual statistics approach to synthesizing four decades of job insecurity research. Organizational Psychology Review, 12(4), 507-544. doi:https://doi.org/10.1177/20413866221112386

    Chang, L., & Yu, Q. (2024). Sustainability-oriented social responsibility and corporate innovation. China Journal of Accounting Research, 17(2), 100359. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cjar.2024.100359

    Hair, J. F. (2014). A primer on partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM): sage.

    Hair, J. F., Risher, J. J., Sarstedt, M., & Ringle, C. M. (2019). When to use and how to report the results of PLS-SEM. European business review, 31(1), 2-24. doi:https://doi.org/10.1108/EBR-11-2018-0203

    Hur, H. (2022). Job security matters: A systematic review and meta-analysis of the relationship between job security and work attitudes. Journal of Management & Organization, 28(5), 925-955. doi:https://doi.org/10.1017/jmo.2019.3

    Kasemsap, K. (2017). The significance of job satisfaction in modern organizations Handbook of research on human factors in contemporary workforce development (pp. 181-200): IGI Global Scientific Publishing.

    Mäkelä, L., Kangas, H., & Suutari, V. (2019). Satisfaction with an expatriate job: The role of physical and functional distance between expatriate and supervisor. Journal of Global Mobility: The Home of Expatriate Management Research, 7(3), 255-268. doi:https://doi.org/10.1108/JGM-04-2019-0025

    Maltagliati, A. J., Paree, J. H., McIntosh, K. L., Moynahan, K. F., & Vanderah, T. W. (2023). Development and evaluation of a pre-clerkship spiral curriculum: data from three medical school classes. Medical Education Online, 28(1), 2167258. doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/10872981.2023.2167258

    Memon, A. H., Khahro, S. H., Memon, N. A., Memon, Z. A., & Mustafa, A. (2023). Relationship between job satisfaction and employee performance in the construction industry of Pakistan. Sustainability, 15(11), 8699. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/su15118699

    Ngoc, T. D. T., Huu, H. N., Minh, T. P., Lam, T. D. H., & Van, D. N. (2024). Enhancing employee’s job satisfaction in Vietnam: Exploring the impact of organizational commitment, supervisor emotional support and training. Journal of Social Economics Research, 11(2), 162-174.

    Huu, H. N.,, Minh, T. P., Lam, T. D. H., & Van, D. N. (2024). Enhancing employee’s job satisfaction in Vietnam: Exploring the impact of organizational commitment, supervisor emotional support and training. Journal of Social Economics Research, 11(2).

    Oso, L., Ribas-Mateos, N., & Moralli, M. (2025). Elgar Encyclopedia of Global Migration: New Mobilities and Artivism: Edward Elgar Publishing.

    Palthe, J. (2008). The role of interaction and general adjustment in expatriate attitudes: Evidence from a field study of global executives on assignment in South Korea, Japan and The Netherlands. Journal of Asia Business Studies, 3(1), 42-53. doi:https://doi.org/10.1108/15587890880000490

    Prestes, V. A., Grisci, C. L. I., & Fraga, A. M. (2016). Lifestyles of workers in the expatriation context. RAM. Revista de Administração Mackenzie, 17(3), 39-59. doi:https://doi.org/10.1590/1678-69712016/administracao.v17n3p39-59

    Rampen, D. C., Pangemanan, A. S., & Mandagi, D. W. (2023). The X-factors behind Gen Z employee performance: A systematic review. Jurnal Mantik, 7(2). doi:https://doi.org/10.35335/mantik.v7i2.3919

    Roberts, A. C., Soh, C.-K., Yap, H. S., Car, J., Kwok, K.-W., & Christopoulos, G. (2023). The Role of Worker Satisfaction in the Underground Environment with Job Satisfaction and Turnover Intent. Paper presented at the Conference of the Associated research Centers for the Urban Underground Space.

    Shelemei, O., & Volodarska, N. (2021). Recovery of Women Well-Being in Migration: Example of Ukraine. Revista de Cercetare si Interventie Sociala, 75.

    Vander Elst, T., & De Witte, H. (2024). An introduction to job insecurity Elgar encyclopedia of occupational health psychology (pp. 14-17): Edward Elgar Publishing.

    Waworuntu, E. C., Kainde, S. J., & Mandagi, D. W. (2022). Work-life balance, job satisfaction and performance among millennial and Gen Z employees: a systematic review. Society, 10(2), 384-398. doi:https://doi.org/10.33019/society.v10i2.464

    Woodman, D. (2019). Continuity and change in attitudes to job security across two generations of young Australian adults. Labour & Industry: a journal of the social and economic relations of work, 29(3), 273-288. doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/10301763.2019.1677201

    Wuryaningrat, N. F., Mandagi, D. W., & Rantung, D. I. (2023). Mapalus as a Knowledge Transfer Practice to Improve Innovation Capability: Success or not Success? Revista De Gestão Social E Ambiental, 17(1), 1-13. doi:https://doi.org/10.24857/rgsa.v17n1-028

    Zeytinoglu, I. U., Keser, A., Y?lmaz, G., Inelmen, K., Özsoy, A., & Uygur, D. (2012). Security in a sea of insecurity: Job security and intention to stay among service sector employees in Turkey. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 23(13), 2809-2823. doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/09585192.2011.637067

  1. Al-Harazneh, R., Al-Oweidat, I. A., & Nashwan, A. J. (2024). The influence of job security on job performance among Jordanian nurses. International Journal of Africa Nursing Sciences, 20, 100681. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijans.2024.100681
  2. Ateeq, A., Alaghbari, M. A., Milhem, M., Ateeq, R. A., & Yusuf, A. Y. A. (2024). The Impact of the Work Environment in the Organization on Job Security for Employees: An Applied Study on Al-Rawabi Private School in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Paper presented at the 2024 International Conference on Decision Aid Sciences and Applications (DASA).
  3. Bazzoli, A., & Probst, T. M. (2022). Taking stock and moving forward: A textual statistics approach to synthesizing four decades of job insecurity research. Organizational Psychology Review, 12(4), 507-544. doi:https://doi.org/10.1177/20413866221112386
  4. Chang, L., & Yu, Q. (2024). Sustainability-oriented social responsibility and corporate innovation. China Journal of Accounting Research, 17(2), 100359. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cjar.2024.100359
  5. Hair, J. F. (2014). A primer on partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM): sage.
  6. Hair, J. F., Risher, J. J., Sarstedt, M., & Ringle, C. M. (2019). When to use and how to report the results of PLS-SEM. European business review, 31(1), 2-24. doi:https://doi.org/10.1108/EBR-11-2018-0203
  7. Hur, H. (2022). Job security matters: A systematic review and meta-analysis of the relationship between job security and work attitudes. Journal of Management & Organization, 28(5), 925-955. doi:https://doi.org/10.1017/jmo.2019.3
  8. Kasemsap, K. (2017). The significance of job satisfaction in modern organizations Handbook of research on human factors in contemporary workforce development (pp. 181-200): IGI Global Scientific Publishing.
  9. Mäkelä, L., Kangas, H., & Suutari, V. (2019). Satisfaction with an expatriate job: The role of physical and functional distance between expatriate and supervisor. Journal of Global Mobility: The Home of Expatriate Management Research, 7(3), 255-268. doi:https://doi.org/10.1108/JGM-04-2019-0025
  10. Maltagliati, A. J., Paree, J. H., McIntosh, K. L., Moynahan, K. F., & Vanderah, T. W. (2023). Development and evaluation of a pre-clerkship spiral curriculum: data from three medical school classes. Medical Education Online, 28(1), 2167258. doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/10872981.2023.2167258
  11. Memon, A. H., Khahro, S. H., Memon, N. A., Memon, Z. A., & Mustafa, A. (2023). Relationship between job satisfaction and employee performance in the construction industry of Pakistan. Sustainability, 15(11), 8699. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/su15118699
  12. Ngoc, T. D. T., Huu, H. N., Minh, T. P., Lam, T. D. H., & Van, D. N. (2024). Enhancing employee’s job satisfaction in Vietnam: Exploring the impact of organizational commitment, supervisor emotional support and training. Journal of Social Economics Research, 11(2), 162-174.
  13. Huu, H. N.,, Minh, T. P., Lam, T. D. H., & Van, D. N. (2024). Enhancing employee’s job satisfaction in Vietnam: Exploring the impact of organizational commitment, supervisor emotional support and training. Journal of Social Economics Research, 11(2).
  14. Oso, L., Ribas-Mateos, N., & Moralli, M. (2025). Elgar Encyclopedia of Global Migration: New Mobilities and Artivism: Edward Elgar Publishing.
  15. Palthe, J. (2008). The role of interaction and general adjustment in expatriate attitudes: Evidence from a field study of global executives on assignment in South Korea, Japan and The Netherlands. Journal of Asia Business Studies, 3(1), 42-53. doi:https://doi.org/10.1108/15587890880000490
  16. Prestes, V. A., Grisci, C. L. I., & Fraga, A. M. (2016). Lifestyles of workers in the expatriation context. RAM. Revista de Administração Mackenzie, 17(3), 39-59. doi:https://doi.org/10.1590/1678-69712016/administracao.v17n3p39-59
  17. Rampen, D. C., Pangemanan, A. S., & Mandagi, D. W. (2023). The X-factors behind Gen Z employee performance: A systematic review. Jurnal Mantik, 7(2). doi:https://doi.org/10.35335/mantik.v7i2.3919
  18. Roberts, A. C., Soh, C.-K., Yap, H. S., Car, J., Kwok, K.-W., & Christopoulos, G. (2023). The Role of Worker Satisfaction in the Underground Environment with Job Satisfaction and Turnover Intent. Paper presented at the Conference of the Associated research Centers for the Urban Underground Space.
  19. Shelemei, O., & Volodarska, N. (2021). Recovery of Women Well-Being in Migration: Example of Ukraine. Revista de Cercetare si Interventie Sociala, 75.
  20. Vander Elst, T., & De Witte, H. (2024). An introduction to job insecurity Elgar encyclopedia of occupational health psychology (pp. 14-17): Edward Elgar Publishing.
  21. Waworuntu, E. C., Kainde, S. J., & Mandagi, D. W. (2022). Work-life balance, job satisfaction and performance among millennial and Gen Z employees: a systematic review. Society, 10(2), 384-398. doi:https://doi.org/10.33019/society.v10i2.464
  22. Woodman, D. (2019). Continuity and change in attitudes to job security across two generations of young Australian adults. Labour & Industry: a journal of the social and economic relations of work, 29(3), 273-288. doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/10301763.2019.1677201
  23. Wuryaningrat, N. F., Mandagi, D. W., & Rantung, D. I. (2023). Mapalus as a Knowledge Transfer Practice to Improve Innovation Capability: Success or not Success? Revista De Gestão Social E Ambiental, 17(1), 1-13. doi:https://doi.org/10.24857/rgsa.v17n1-028
  24. Zeytinoglu, I. U., Keser, A., Y?lmaz, G., Inelmen, K., Özsoy, A., & Uygur, D. (2012). Security in a sea of insecurity: Job security and intention to stay among service sector employees in Turkey. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 23(13), 2809-2823. doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/09585192.2011.637067