The relationship between occupational balance, job performance, and coping skills with stress in private sector employees

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationships between stress coping strategies, occupational balance levels, and job performance among full-time employees in the private sector. In today's context of accelerated globalization and digitalization, employees face increasing workloads and performance demands, leading to psychosocial challenges. In this regard, developing effective stress coping strategies and maintaining life balance play a critical role in sustaining job performance. This quantitative, cross-sectional study collected data from 115 private sector employees in Turkey using the Brief COPE Scale (BÇSÖ-KF), Occupational Balance Questionnaire (OBQ11-T), and Job Performance Scale (İPÖ). Statistical analyses included Mann-Whitney U, Kruskal-Wallis, Spearman correlation, and multiple regression tests, with a significance level set at p<0.05. Findings revealed a positive, moderate correlation between problem-focused coping strategies and job performance (r = 0.412, p<0.001). Employees with higher occupational balance demonstrated significantly better job performance (p<0.01). Regression analysis identified coping strategies—particularly planning and emotional social support—and occupational balance as significant predictors of job performance (R²=0.39, p<0.001). The results suggest that enhancing employees' problem-focused coping skills and preserving life balance may improve job performance. Occupational therapy-based interventions, stress management training, and organizational work-life balance policies can effectively strengthen employees' psychosocial resilience. Keywords: Job Performance; Occupational Balance; Occupational Therapy; Private Sector; Stress Coping Strategies; Work-Life Balance.