Employee Retention Strategies: A Mediation Analysis of Job Satisfaction
Abstract
This study examines the organizational determinants of employee job satisfaction and their effect on intention to stay within G Group, a diversified property and lifestyle business experiencing persistent turnover. A quantitative method was applied using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). Survey data were collected from 244 employees with a minimum of three months’ tenure, ensuring relevance beyond probationary stages. Job satisfaction was positioned as a mediating variable. Organizational culture, compensation, and career development have a significant effect on job satisfaction, whereas work–life balance shows no significant influence on either job satisfaction or intention to stay. Job satisfaction strongly predicts intention to stay and mediates the effects of culture, compensation, and career development. The weaker influence of career development and work–life balance appears to be related to demographic characteristics and variations in respondents’ work experiences. The findings support Herzberg’s distinction between motivators and hygiene factors, while Social Exchange Theory clarifies how supportive culture and fair compensation generate reciprocal commitment, also align with Talent Management Theory that development practices influence retention mainly through their impact on satisfaction. Findings suggest that proactive strategies, such as strengthening supportive organizational culture, ensuring fair and transparent compensation, and building structured career development, are more effective in reducing turnover and improving employee intention to stay than reactive approaches like counteroffers or short-term retention responses. This study offers empirical insight into how retention mechanisms function across different business sectors within one organization, highlighting variations in employee perceptions shaped by distinct operational contexts.
References
Collings, D. G., & Mellahi, K. (2009). Strategic Talent Management: A review and research agenda. Human Resource Management Review, 19(4), 304–313. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hrmr.2009.04.001
Cook, K.S., Rice, E. (2006). Social Exchange Theory. In: Delamater, J. (eds) Handbook of Social Psychology. Handbooks of Sociology and Social Research. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/0-387-36921-X_3
Cropanzano, R., & Mitchell, M. S. (2005). Social Exchange Theory: An Interdisciplinary Review. Journal of Management, 31(6), 874–900. https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206305279602
Dries, N., & Pepermans, R. (2008). “Real” high-potential careers: An empirical study into the perspectives of organisations and high potentials. Personnel Review, 37(1), 85–108. https://doi.org/10.1108/00483480810839987
Erro-Garcés, A., Urien, B., Cyras, G., & Janusauskienė, V. M. (2022). Telework in Baltic Countries during the Pandemic: Effects on Wellbeing, Job Satisfaction, and Work–Life Balance. Sustainability, 14(10), 5778. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14105778
Gazi, M. A. I., Yusof, M. F., Islam, M. A., Amin, M. B., & Senathirajah, A. R. bin S. (2024). Analyzing the impact of employee job satisfaction on their job behavior in the industrial setting: An analysis from the perspective of job performance. Journal of Open Innovation: Technology, Market, and Complexity, 10(4), 100427. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joitmc.2024.100427
Ghazanfar, F., Chuanmin, S., Khan, M. M., & Bashir, M. (2011). A Study of Relationship between Satisfaction with Compensation and Work Motivation. International Journal of Business and Social Science, 2(1), 120–131.
Hair, J. F., & Babin, B. J. (2018). Multivariate Data Analysis (8th ed.). Cengage Learning EMEA.
Kumar, S. (2022). The impact of talent management practices on employee turnover and retention intentions. Global Business and Organizational Excellence, 41(2), 21–34. https://doi.org/10.1002%2Fjoe.22130
Lee, C., Lee, B., Choi, I., & Kim, J. (2023). Exploring Determinants of Job Satisfaction: A Comparison Between Survey and Review Data. SAGE Open, 13(4), 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440231216528
Lu, A. C. C., & Gursoy, D. (2013). Impact of Job Burnout on Satisfaction and Turnover Intention: Do Generational Differences Matter? Do Generational Differences Matter? Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research, 40(2), 210-235. https://doi.org/10.1177/1096348013495696
Nassani, A. A., Badshah, W., Grigorescu, A., Cozorici, A. N., Yousaf, Z., & Zhan, X. (2024). Participatory leadership and supportive organisational culture: Panacea for job satisfaction regulatory role of work–life balance. Heliyon, 10(16), e36043. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e36043
Orogbu, L. O., Onyeizugbe, C. U., & Chukwuemeke, D. N. (2015). Work Life Balance and Employee Performance in Selected Commercial Banks in Lagos State. European Journal of Research and Reflection in Management Sciences, 3(4), 63–77.
PT PP Properti Tbk. (2025). Sustainability report 2024: Together We Rise for a Sustainable Report. PT PP Properti Tbk.
Sabri, P. S. U., Ilyas, M., & Amjad, Z. (2011). Organizational Culture and Its Impact on the Job Satisfaction of the University Teachers of Lahore. International Journal of Business and Social Science, 2(24), 121–128.
Torquati, J. C., Raikes, H., & Huddleston-Casas, C. A. (2007). Teacher education, motivation, compensation, workplace support, and links to quality of center-based childcare and teachers’ intention to stay in the early childhood profession. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 22(2), 261–275. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecresq.2007.03.004
Walsh, K., & Taylor, M. S. (2007). Developing In-House Careers and Retaining Management Talent: What Hospitality Professionals Want from Their Jobs: What Hospitality Professionals Want from Their Jobs. Cornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly, 48(2), 163-182. https://doi.org/10.1177/0010880407300521
Work Institute. (2025). 2025 Retention Report: Employee Retention Truths in Today’s Workplace. Work Institute.
Rabiul, M. K., Promsivapallop, P., Al Karim, R., Islam, M. A., & Patwary, A. K. (2022). Fostering quality customer service during Covid-19: The role of managers’ oral language, employee work engagement, and employee resilience. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 53, 50-60. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhtm.2022.09.002
Sharif, K., & Sidi Lemine, M. (2024). Customer service quality, emotional brand attachment and customer citizenship behaviors: findings from an emerging higher education market. Journal of Marketing for Higher Education, 34(1), 18-43. https://doi.org/10.1080/08841241.2021.1949659
Akpa, V. O., Asikhia, O. U., & Nneji, N. E. (2021). Organizational culture and organizational performance: A review of literature. International journal of advances in engineering and management, 3(1), 361-372.
Ramli, M., Zakaria, J., & Selong, A. (2026). The Effect of Leadership, Competence, and Organizational Culture on Islamic Motivation and Employee Performance at PT Sumber Swarna Pratama, North Morowali Regency, and PT Trio Kencana, Parigi Moutong Regency, Central Sulawesi. Journal of Cultural Analysis and Social Change, 2329-2336. https://doi.org/10.64753/jcasc.v11i1.4307
Ntinda, P. F., Onyancha, H., & Amos, A. A. L. (2026). Effects of Training Opportunities on Employees’ Career Development: A Mixed-Methods Study of Moshi Municipal Council, Tanzania. Journal of Management and Entrepreneurship Research, 7(1), 13-26.
Maluka, M., & Mulaudzi, M. (2026). Investigating the Barriers Hindering Career Sponsorship of TVET Lecturers in South Africa. International Journal of Applied Research in Business and Management, 7(3). https://doi.org/10.51137/wrp.ijarbm.446
Jones, K. D., Kwon, S., Choi, I., & Kimble, L. P. (2026). Strategic faculty recruitment and development in a research-intensive school of nursing: A case for a mission-driven, human-centered approach. Journal of Professional Nursing. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.profnurs.2026.03.004
Parveen, M., & Khalid, K. (2026). Analyzing the role of employee career aspirations in enhancing task performance in Saudi women. Central European Management Journal, 1-25. https://doi.org/10.1108/CEMJ-01-2025-0025
Markman, A. O., Du, X., & Nørgaard, B. (2026). ‘I know I won’t be employed here forever’: exploring career self-management in early-career engineers. European Journal of Engineering Education, 1-20. https://doi.org/10.1080/03043797.2026.2624428
Emmanuel, A. O., Ayobami, A. N., Victoria, I. H. E. A. N. A. C. H. O., Amos, A. O., & Adenike, A. S. (2026). NON FINANCIAL INCENTIVE AND EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE OF PRIVATE SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN LAGOS STATE, NIGERIA. FULafia Journal of Management Sciences, 1(1), 171-189.
Filsa, C., & Sofiati, S. (2026). The Role of Compensation Systems in Enhancing Employee Performance in a Traditional Culinary MSME in Yogyakarta. Research Horizon, 6(1), 267-278.
Hemsworth, D., Muterera, J., Khorakian, A., & Garcia-Rivera, B. R. (2026). Exploring the theory of employee planned behavior: job satisfaction as a key to organizational performance. Psychological Reports, 129(2), 1584-1615. https://doi.org/10.1177/00332941241252784
Prajadiredja, M. D. R., & Cahyadi, A. (2026). Examining the Impact of Work Engagement and Job Satisfaction on Employee Performance Through Organizational Commitment in Regional Government. At-Tadbir: jurnal ilmiah manajemen, 10(1), 1-23. https://dx.doi.org/10.31602/atd.v10i1.20843
Gao, H., & Wang, G. (2025). The Power of Justice: Mediating Roles Between Respect for Supervisors and Employees’ Sense of Belonging and Trust. SAGE Open, 15(3), 21582440251382808. https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440251382808
Jose, M., & George, C. (2025). CULTIVATING A POSITIVE WORK CULTURE: A FOUNDATION FOR EMPLOYEE SATISFACTION. Lex Localis: Journal of Local Self-Government, 23.
Jo, H., & Shin, D. (2025). The impact of recognition, fairness, and leadership on employee outcomes: A large-scale multi-group analysis. PloS one, 20(1), e0312951. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0312951
Copyright (c) 2026 Journal La Sociale
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
