A SOCIO-PROFESSIONAL IDENTITY FRAMEWORK OF WORK-LIFE BALANCE AND JOB SATISFACTION AMONG HOTEL FOOD AND BEVERAGE EMPLOYEES USING SEM

This study focuses on the interplay between work-life balance (WLB), job satisfaction, and personal characteristics of employees of hotel Food and Beverage (F&B) service department. This study explores the socio-demographic predictors of job satisfaction (JS) and work-life balance (WLB) among hotel food and beverage (F&B) employees, embodying frameworks like the Conservation of Resources Theory and Work-Family Conflict Theory. A cross-sectional survey was carried among 354 hotel Food & Beverage employees using Spector’s (1985) Job Satisfaction Survey (JSS) and capitalized work-life balance measures. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, logistic regression using SEM (AMOS), and comparative analysis with previous studies. The findings revealed moderate overall job satisfaction (M = 3.5) with the highest satisfaction for "Nature of Work" (M = 4.2) and the lowest for "Fringe Benefits" (M = 2.6). Logistic regression evident marital status significantly influence work-life balance (OR = 0.29, p < 0.001), with married employees reporting significantly lower WLB. Education positively predicted WLB, while gender and age had no significant effects. Comparative analysis with Spector (1985) and Karatepe & Uludag (2007) showed similar trends but also revealed sector-specific differences. This study introduces a socio-professional identity lens to contextualize why F&B workers, despite similar job demands, experience WLB disparities tied to marital and educational divides. Practical implications urge hotels to adopt demographically targeted interventions, such as family-support policies and skill-development programs to mitigate burnout and turnover. By spotlighting the understudied F&B sector, this research fills a gap in the literature and redefines WLB strategies for high-pressure service environments.