“I Am Less Stressed, More Productive”: A Mixed-Methods Analysis of Stress-Management Interventions and Their Impact on Employee Well-Being and Performance at Saudi Universities

This study investigates workplace stress-management practices and their relationships with employees’ well-being and productivity in accordance with Tayma University College’s goals in Saudi Vision 2030. Although stress-relief programs have been studied in detail in Western cultural environments, efficacy in the context of Saudi higher education institutions has proven to be limited, particularly as employee reactions are shaped by cultural, organizational, and institutional factors. This paper aims to explore the relationships between various other indicators, namely, mindfulness, time management, scheduling autonomy, and coworker support, and stress, job performance, and work–life balance. A convergent mixed-methods design was utilized, based on survey responses from 104 academic and administrative employees and semi-structured interviews with 20 respondents. The presentation of data demonstrated that time management was most consistently and significantly effective using SEM. In conclusion, time management was positively and significantly associated with increased schedule control, coworker support, and job performance, resulting in a more balanced work–life experience. Mindfulness had no significant or meaningful influence on perceived stress levels, while the influence of coworker support was more variable, and job performance experienced greater variation. Qualitative results confirmed this trend, as evidenced by the fact that time-management-oriented activities were incorporated into the daily routine, while mindfulness-related exercises were not well integrated with the cultural norms and work requirements. Within the university context of Saudi Arabia and with reference to the Job Demands–Resources (JDs–Rs) framework and the Transactional Model of Stress and Coping, the study also reveals that situational influences constitute a significant contribution to the development and use of stress-relief resources. Ultimately, the findings highlight the value of culturally relevant stress-management practices to facilitate the well-being, performance, and stability of employees with the backdrop of Saudi Vision 2030.