Article Details
  • Published Online:
    July  2026
  • Product Name:
    The IUP Journal of Management Research
  • Product Type:
    Article
  • Product Code:
    IJMR030726
  • DOI:
    10.71329/IUPJMR/2026.25.3.55-85
  • Author Name:
    I Anthony Kishore* and G Prakashraj
  • Availability:
    YES
  • Subject/Domain:
    Management
  • Download Format:
    PDF
  • Pages:
    55-85
Volume 25, Issue 3, July-September 2026
Age, Salary, and Work-Life Balance: A Serial Mediation Model of Job Satisfaction in HEIs
Abstract

The study examines the relationships among age, salary, work-life balance (WLB), and job satisfaction (JS) among faculty in higher education institutions (HEIs). Drawing on Human Capital Theory and Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model, a serial mediation framework was tested using Structural Equation Modeling with data from 150 faculty members in Tirupattur, Tamil Nadu, India. The results reveal that age positively influences salary, which affects WLB, and WLB significantly predicts JS. Mediation analysis indicates that salary mediates the age-WLB link, WLB mediates the salary-JS link, and age has a full serial mediation effect on JS through salary and WLB, with no direct effect. The study provides region-specific insights and underscores the importance of compensation and WLB initiatives for enhancing faculty JS.

Introduction

Work is not just a way to make money; it is also an important part of people’s lives that affects their social status and health (Sharma & Jyoti, 2009). In this context, comprehending the determinants of job satisfaction (JS) or dissatisfaction has emerged as a primary focus for social scientists, managers, and policymakers globally.