The Relationship Between Work Stress and Workload with Job Embeddedness Among Generation Z Employees in the Creative Media Industry of Cirebon

Figure Ilustration AI

FORMOSA NEWS - Riau - Heavy Workload Drives Generation Z’s Loyalty in Creative Media Companies, Study Finds. A high workload is frequently cited as a primary trigger for employee burnout and resignation, yet a different dynamic is unfolding among Generation Z workers in regional creative media companies. A recent study published in July 2026 reveals that a challenging yet manageable workload actually increases job embeddedness the degree to which employees feel bound to remain within their organization among Generation Z professionals. The investigation was conducted by researchers Siti Rikhanah and Agi Syarif Hidayat from Universitas Swadaya Gunung Jati (UGJ) in Cirebon, Indonesia. Published in the Asian Journal of Management Analytics (AJMA) in 2026, the study examines how workplace stressors and job demands shape retention among young media workers. These findings provide critical insights for media executives struggling to retain young talent in an industry notorious for high employee turnover.

The Changing Workplace Dynamic: Workload as Opportunity
The creative media sector operates in a fast-paced digital environment marked by rapid content production, tight deadlines, and shifting audience preferences. While older generations may view heavy demands as purely burdensome, Generation Z employees who prioritize career growth, skill development, and meaningful work frequently view structured challenges as opportunities for professional advancement. In regional media hubs such as Cirebon, young creators often contend with intense time pressure and emotional fatigue. To explore how these pressures influence retention, Siti Rikhanah and Agi Syarif Hidayat applied the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) theoretical framework. This model suggests that job demands do not automatically harm employee commitment; instead, when framed effectively, demanding tasks function as "challenge demands" that spur engagement, learning, and loyalty. To gather empirical evidence, the UGJ researchers designed a quantitative associative study targeting 100 Generation Z employees across three major media outlets in Cirebon: Radar Cirebon, Fajar Cirebon, and Rakyat Cirebon. The research team selected participants using proportionate stratified random sampling based on a total population of 110 employees. Data collected through structured questionnaires were analyzed using multiple linear regression to determine both individual and combined impacts of work stress and workload on job embeddedness.

Key Research Findings
The empirical analysis yielded several unexpected outcomes regarding how Generation Z staff experience workplace demands:

• Positive and Significant Impact of Workload: Workload demonstrated a positive and statistically significant relationship with job embeddedness ($\beta = 0.575$; $p = 0.000$). When Gen Z employees perceive their workload as manageable and meaningful, their attachment to the organization strengthens.
  
• Insignificant Role of Work Stress: Work stress showed a positive but statistically insignificant link to job embeddedness ($\beta = 0.101$; $p = 0.082$). As digital natives accustomed to dynamic environments, Gen Z workers in creative media appear to view routine tight deadlines as standard working conditions rather than reasons to quit.
  
• Strong Combined Influence: Simultaneously, work stress and workload exerted a significant combined effect on job embeddedness ($F = 43.789$; $p = 0.000$). Together, these two factors account for 46.4% of the variance in job embeddedness ($R^2 = 0.464$), while external variables explain the remaining 53.6%.
  

Real-World Implications for Creative Industries

These insights offer actionable guidance for media managers, business leaders, and human resource professionals. Rather than reducing workloads indiscriminately, creative organizations should focus on structured workload management that keeps assignments engaging without causing burnout. Tasks involving creative problem-solving, portfolio expansion, and project autonomy help young employees build professional identity and organizational commitment. To maximize retention, media companies should implement regular workload evaluations, transparent project scheduling, milestone-based reward systems, and flexible working arrangements. Aligning daily task allocations with the growth aspirations of Generation Z allows businesses to foster a resilient, highly engaged workforce in regional creative markets.

Author Profiles
Siti Rikhanah is a researcher and academic in the field of Management at Universitas Swadaya Gunung Jati (UGJ) in Cirebon, Indonesia. Her work concentrates on organizational behavior, human resource strategies, and workforce engagement dynamics.
Agi Syarif Hidayat is a lecturer and Management researcher at Universitas Swadaya Gunung Jati (UGJ) in Cirebon, Indonesia. His research specialization includes applied business analytics, organizational development, and generational workforce trends in creative sectors.

Source
Siti Rikhanah, Agi Syarif Hidayat. The Relationship Between Work Stress and Workload with Job Embeddedness Among Generation Z Employees in the Creative Media Industry of Cirebon. Asian Journal of Management Analytics (AJMA), Vol. 5, No. 3 (2026), hal. 619–632
DOI : https://doi.org/10.55927/ajma.v5i3.16791
URL : https://journal.formosapublisher.org/index.php/ajma