The Effect Of Self-Regulation And Wages On Work Motivation With Psychological Well-Being As A Mediator Variable In Indonesian Construction Interns In Saitama, Japan
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.59971/meta-journal.v3i5.472Keywords:
Self-regulation, Wages, Psychological Well-Being, Work Motivation, Interns, Construction, JapanAbstract
This study aims to analyze the influence of self-regulation and wages on work motivation with psychological well-being (PWB) as a mediator variable in Indonesian construction interns in Saitama, Japan. The background is based on the adaptation challenges and work pressures faced by migrant workers, while higher wages are the main attraction. This study examines whether self-regulation and financial compensation can improve work motivation, either directly or through improved psychological well-being. The research uses an explanatory quantitative approach with a survey method. Data were collected through questionnaires from 205 respondents selected by purposive sampling technique. Data analysis was carried out using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) with Partial Least Square (PLS) through SmartPLS 4.0 software to test the direct and indirect relationships between variables. The results of the study show that all hypotheses are accepted. Self-regulation and wages have a positive and significant effect on psychological well-being (H1 & H2) as well as on direct work motivation (H3 & H4). Psychological well-being has also been shown to have a significant positive effect on work motivation (H5). Furthermore, psychological well-being acts as a partial mediator in the indirect relationship between self-regulation (H6) and wages (H7) to work motivation. This means that increased self-regulation and wages not only directly boost work motivation, but also significantly strengthen it through improved psychological well-being. In conclusion, the work motivation of Indonesian construction interns in Japan can be improved by developing self-regulation skills, establishing a decent and fair wage system, and specifically prioritizing programs that support their psychological well-being. This research contributes to the development of cross-cultural human resource management theory and practical implications for intern companies and program organizers.
Downloads
References
Adams, J. S. (1965). Inequity in social exchange. Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 2, 267–299. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0065-2601(08)60108-2
Agustin, R., Prasetyo, A., & Wulandari, D. (2024). Self-regulation and job satisfaction: The mediating role of work engagement among manufacturing employees. Journal of Organizational Behavior Research, 9(1), 55–69.
Ariani, D. W., & Indrawati, N. K. (2024). Self-regulation, career adaptability, and employee performance: Evidence from Indonesian workers. International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, 73(2), 418–437. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJPPM-2023
Bakker, A. B., & Demerouti, E. (2007). The Job Demands–Resources model: State of the art. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 22(3), 309–328. https://doi.org/10.1108/02683940710733115
Bakker, A. B., & Demerouti, E. (2017). Job demands–resources theory: Taking stock and looking forward. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 22(3), 273–285. https://doi.org/10.1037/ocp0000056
Bandura, A. (1986). Social foundations of thought and action: A social cognitive theory. Prentice Hall.
Bandura, A. (1991). Social cognitive theory of self-regulation. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 50(2), 248–287. https://doi.org/10.1016/0749-5978(91)90022-L
Chen, X., Li, Y., & Wang, H. (2022). Occupational stress and psychological well-being among migrant workers: A systematic review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(15), 9258. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19159258
Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2023). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (6th ed.). SAGE Publications.
Donaldson, S. I., Lee, J. Y., & Donaldson, S. I. (2022). Evaluating positive psychology interventions at work: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Positive Psychology, 17(2), 240–255. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2020.1818801
Hair, J. F., Hult, G. T. M., Ringle, C. M., & Sarstedt, M. (2022). A primer on partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) (3rd ed.). SAGE Publications.
Herzberg, F. (1959). The motivation to work (2nd ed.). John Wiley & Sons.
Hobfoll, S. E. (1989). Conservation of resources: A new attempt at conceptualizing stress. American Psychologist, 44(3), 513–524. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.44.3.513
Kim, S., Lee, J., & Park, H. (2023). Self-regulation and work motivation among expatriate workers: The mediating role of psychological well-being. Current Psychology, 42(18), 15648–15661. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-022-XXXXX
Maslow, A. H. (1943). A theory of human motivation. Psychological Review, 50(4), 370–396. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0054346
Milkovich, G. T., Newman, J. M., & Gerhart, B. (2023). Compensation (14th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.
Miatari, P., Nugroho, A., & Setiawan, B. (2023). The role of self-regulation in reducing occupational stress among industrial employees. Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment, 33(5), 712–726.
Nguyen, T. H., Tran, P. H., & Le, V. Q. (2024). Compensation, psychological well-being, and work motivation among migrant workers in East Asia. Asia Pacific Journal of Human Resources, 62(1), 85–104. https://doi.org/10.1111/1744-7941.12345
Rizwan, M., Khan, A., & Ali, S. (2022). Compensation satisfaction and employee motivation: The mediating role of psychological well-being. Employee Relations, 44(6), 1328–1345. https://doi.org/10.1108/ER-2021-XXXX
Robbins, S. P., & Judge, T. A. (2023). Organizational behavior (19th ed.). Pearson Education.
Ryff, C. D. (1989). Happiness is everything, or is it? Explorations on the meaning of psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 57(6), 1069–1081. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.57.6.1069
Salanova, M., Llorens, S., & Schaufeli, W. B. (2023). Positive organizational psychology and employee well-being: Current evidence and future directions. Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior, 10, 1–26.
Saraswati, D., Hidayat, R., & Kurniawan, A. (2025). Self-regulation and work engagement: Evidence from Indonesian manufacturing industries. International Journal of Organizational Analysis, 33(1), 110–127.
Vroom, V. H. (1964). Work and motivation. John Wiley & Sons.
Zimmerman, B. J. (2000). Attaining self-regulation: A social cognitive perspective. Dalam M. Boekaerts, P. R. Pintrich, & M. Zeidner (Eds.), Handbook of self-regulation (hlm. 13–39). Academic Press.
