A higher level of employees’ turnover becomes a serious issue for the hospitality industry, including PRQ Surabaya, which has a significantly higher turnover in 2024. This study analyses the effect of job stress and perceived organizational support on turnover intention, with work-life balance as a mediating variable. The study is based on Social Exchange Theory, which underlies the bilateral principles between organizations and employees. This research uses a quantitative causal design. Furthermore, the data collection technique used was a census in which all members of the population were the sample. Using data from 51 PRQ Apartment employees in Surabaya, the study finds that work–life balance partially mediates the effect of perceived organizational support on turnover intention (β = 0.189, p = 0.042) but does not mediate the effect of job stress. Unexpectedly, WLB positively predicts turnover intention (β = 0.406, p = 0.010). Practically, management should reduce stress, enhance supervisor support, and redesign Work-Life Balance policies to align with employee needs. This study contributes to strengthening Social Exchange Theory by highlighting the partial mediating role of WLB and revealing the paradox where WLB actually increases turnover intention. Practically, the findings encourage PRQ Apartment management to enhance organizational support, reassess WLB policies, and manage job stress to reduce turnover.
Widiyasa et al. (Sat,) studied this question.