The study examined civil servants working at the Department of Population and Civil Registration of Pontianak, a public institution responsible for population administration, civil registration, and citizen data services. The findings highlight how employee well-being directly influences Organizational Citizenship Behavior (OCB), a form of voluntary workplace behavior that supports organizational effectiveness beyond official job requirements.
The results are particularly relevant as governments worldwide seek to improve public service quality while addressing employee workload, burnout, and workforce sustainability.
Growing Pressure on Public Service Employees
Public institutions increasingly face challenges related to staffing shortages, rising service demands, and employee well-being. In Pontianak’s Department of Population and Civil Registration, workforce shortages have required some employees to take on additional responsibilities outside their primary duties.
According to institutional data cited in the study, the Population Registration Division faced a shortage of approximately ten employees. As a result, civil servants often handled workloads across multiple units while meeting daily service targets.
Although employee performance evaluations remained generally positive and public satisfaction scores increased between 2022 and 2025, concerns remained regarding service consistency, response times, and employee interaction quality. Previous research has suggested that work stress and poor work-life balance can negatively affect both employee performance and public service outcomes.
Against this backdrop, the Universitas Muhammadiyah Pontianak researchers investigated how job stress and work-life balance influence Organizational Citizenship Behavior among civil servants.
Surveying the Entire Civil Servant Workforce
The study used a quantitative research design and included all 49 civil servants employed at the Department of Population and Civil Registration of Pontianak, excluding the agency head.
Researchers collected data through:
- Employee questionnaires
- Interviews with administrative and personnel managers
- Organizational records and workforce data
- Employee performance reports
- Public satisfaction survey results
The analysis focused on three key variables:
- Work Stress – including role conflict, workload pressure, and role ambiguity.
- Work-Life Balance – including balance of time, involvement, and satisfaction between work and personal life.
- Organizational Citizenship Behavior (OCB) – including helping colleagues, organizational participation, professionalism, civic responsibility, and workplace courtesy.
Statistical analysis was then used to determine the strength and direction of relationships among these variables.
Strong Relationship Between Employee Well-Being and OCB
The findings revealed a very strong relationship between job stress, work-life balance, and Organizational Citizenship Behavior.
The study reported a correlation coefficient (R) of 0.841, indicating a very strong association between the variables. The coefficient of determination (R²) reached 0.708, meaning that 70.8 percent of variations in Organizational Citizenship Behavior could be explained by job stress and work-life balance.
Only 29.2 percent of the variation was linked to other factors outside the research model, such as leadership style, organizational culture, employee satisfaction, or organizational commitment.
The statistical model produced the following equation:
OCB = 2.281 – 0.461(Job Stress) + 0.804(Work-Life Balance)
The results show that increases in job stress are associated with declines in Organizational Citizenship Behavior, while improvements in work-life balance are associated with substantial increases in positive organizational behavior.
Job Stress Weakens Voluntary Employee Contributions
One of the study’s most important findings is the negative impact of job stress on Organizational Citizenship Behavior.
Employees experiencing higher levels of stress were less likely to engage in voluntary actions that support colleagues and improve organizational performance. These behaviors include helping coworkers, participating in organizational activities, maintaining positive workplace relationships, and contributing beyond formal job descriptions.
The analysis found that job stress had a statistically significant negative effect on OCB.
According to Aprillia Lingga Sanjaya and Devi Yasmin of Universitas Muhammadiyah Pontianak, higher workplace stress reduces employees’ willingness and capacity to demonstrate discretionary behaviors that benefit the organization.
The finding aligns with previous studies showing that excessive workload, unclear responsibilities, and workplace pressure can undermine employee engagement and organizational commitment.
Work-Life Balance Encourages Positive Organizational Behavior
In contrast, work-life balance demonstrated a strong positive effect on Organizational Citizenship Behavior.
Employees who successfully balanced professional responsibilities with personal and family life were more likely to contribute beyond their required duties. They showed greater cooperation, stronger commitment to organizational goals, and higher levels of participation in workplace activities.
The positive influence of work-life balance was stronger than the negative effect of job stress in the study’s regression model, highlighting the importance of policies that support employee well-being.
The researchers found that work-life balance contributes not only to employee satisfaction but also to behaviors that strengthen organizational performance and service quality.
For public institutions, these findings suggest that supporting employee well-being may lead to more effective teamwork, improved public services, and stronger organizational culture.
Implications for Government Agencies and Policymakers
The study provides practical insights for government agencies seeking to improve employee performance and public service outcomes.
Reducing workplace stress and promoting healthier work-life balance may help organizations encourage Organizational Citizenship Behavior among employees. Such behavior is particularly valuable in public institutions where collaboration, responsiveness, and service quality directly affect citizens.
The findings suggest that agencies should consider:
- Better workload distribution
- Adequate staffing levels
- Employee wellness initiatives
- Supportive management practices
- Policies that promote work-life balance
These measures may strengthen employee engagement while improving organizational effectiveness and public trust.
As public service organizations face increasing demands, employee well-being is emerging as a strategic factor rather than simply a human resources issue.
Author Profiles
Aprillia Lingga Sanjaya is a researcher from the Faculty of Economics and Business at Universitas Muhammadiyah Pontianak. Her academic interests include human resource management, organizational behavior, employee performance, and public-sector management.
Devi Yasmin is a lecturer and researcher at the Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Muhammadiyah Pontianak. Her expertise focuses on human resource management, organizational behavior, workforce development, and public administration management.
Source
Article Title: The Influence of Work Stress and Work-Life Balance on Organizational Citizenship Behavior of Civil Servants at the Department of Population and Civil Registration of Pontianak
Authors: Aprillia Lingga Sanjaya, Devi Yasmin
Journal: Asian Journal of Applied Business and Management (AJABM)
Volume and Issue: Vol. 5, No. 2
Year: 2026
Pages: 655–668
DOI: https://doi.org/10.55927/ajabm.v5i2.48
Official Journal URL: https://journalajabm.my.id/index.php/ajabm
0 Komentar