The Role of Work Stress in Mediating the Effects of Organizational Culture and Leadership on Job Satisfaction at PT. Samawood Utama Works Industry

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the influence of organizational culture and leadership on work stress and its impact on employee job satisfaction at PT. Samawood Utama Work Industry. The background of this research is based on the phenomenon of employee dissatisfaction, indicated by protests against unilateral termination policies and a weak promotion system, as well as inconsistencies in previous research findings related to the relationships among organizational culture, leadership, work stress, and job satisfaction in Indonesia's manufacturing sector. This research employs a quantitative approach using path analysis on a sample of 75 employees selected through a census method. Data were collected through a questionnaire that had been tested for validity and reliability. The results show that organizational culture has a negative and significant effect on work stress, and leadership also has a significant negative effect on work stress. Both organizational culture and leadership positively and significantly influence job satisfaction, both directly and indirectly through work stress as a mediating variable. Work stress itself has a significant negative effect on job satisfaction. Mediation testing using the Sobel method indicates that work stress partially mediates the relationship between organizational culture and job satisfaction (Sobel value = 2.00 > 1.96), as well as between leadership and job satisfaction (Sobel value = 2.15 > 1.96), suggesting that both indirect effects are statistically significant. Simultaneously, organizational culture and leadership significantly influence work stress, and all three variables (organizational culture, leadership, and work stress) significantly affect job satisfaction, with a coefficient of determination reaching 87.7%. These findings underscore the importance of strengthening a positive organizational culture, enhancing leadership quality, and managing work stress integratively to improve employee job satisfaction in the manufacturing industry.