In this era of globalization, we are inseparable from the digital world, and Indonesia's digital economy is also proliferating. We cannot dispute that digital brings many changes so that it can facilitate all matters, including in the field of work. Digitalization transforms human management with various stages, i.e., the first stage is adapting the system to the physical input process into the digital strategy, and the next is the value-meaning system for internal and external customers [1]. Humans use their abilities and experiences to adapt to technology to make it easier to do their jobs. With these changes and developments, there are also many shifts in interpreting work. With rapidly advancing technology and the increasing effectiveness of business, understanding how creativity in employees must also develop in an increasingly digital setting is highly important for organizations [2]. Work can provide possibilities for self-realization and development, which can both contribute to a person's life experiences and help them satisfy the necessities of their day-to-day lives and their hopes and goals for the future.

Workplace stress is unavoidable in the working world and is experienced by workers regularly. People under much pressure at work may struggle with various issues, including the inability to relax or concentrate, making mistakes in thinking and decision-making, and feeling upset and irritated. According to Jawed, the factors contributing to work-related stress for employees include excessive work, pressure from seniors, ineffective communication, lack of recognition, an unbalanced grading system, a hostile working environment, and the failure to mark payments and other rewards properly. An essential driver of security in the workplace is the fulfillment of the needs of workers [3]

One of the techniques that a great number of businesses implement is the practice of giving recognition. Employee recognition is important in creating and managing effective and better human resource management [4]. Employees' contributions to company culture should be recognized as crucial to fostering open lines of communication [5].

According to the Central Statistics Agency, the number of Indonesians working part-time or as freelancers increased by 4.32 million, or 26 percent, in August 2020. Unlike full-time employees, freelancers do not have to shell out much money to move platforms so they can take advantage of more flexible scheduling options [6]. There's a good chance that freelancing will continue to gain popularity.

A Freelancer is different from a bound employee of a company; therefore, freelancers are free to complete additional work simultaneously for various individuals or companies unless contractually committed to working exclusively until a particular project is completed. The utilization of freelancers for the company can also provide many benefits, including maximizing employees' productivity and the company, streamlining hiring costs, and time flexibility for new and creative ideas. Freelance work deals on a project-by-project basis and neither the employer nor the employee is obligated to make any commitments beyond the scope of the project contract [7]. In addition, this digital world also provides many opportunities to create and create on available online platforms such as Youtube, Instagram, Tiktok, and other social media. This opportunity is very promising and has potential for the future, such as freelancers who take advantage of social media platforms, namely Influencers and Content Creators.

The choice of young people to become Freelance in the current era is related to the use of technology in the digital age, especially utilizing the available social media platforms. The decision among young people to become freelancers is undoubtedly connected to the utilization of technology in the digital era, especially the use of various social media platforms. The term "content creator" has been popular in recent years to represent technically inclined cultural producers who publish their work on different social media platforms, these individuals are typically motivated by an entrepreneurial spirit and a desire to establish their own "media brands"[8].

The term "Content Creator" refers to an individual who gathers information to create media like movies and images that will be shared extensively across social media platforms per the intended usage and terms of the agreement. Authenticity and an entrepreneurial spirit are necessities that can inspire content creators and provide them with a competitive edge in their business endeavors [9].

While freelancers should experience the same levels of stress, rewards, motivation, and pleasure in the workplace as their permanent counterparts, a paucity of studies specifically examines them. Most studies examine workers or permanent employees in a bound agency or organization. Furthermore, with the development of increasingly complex technologies, many people select social media to earn a living. Therefore, this research is intended to study the phenomenon of freelancers, and more specifically, freelance content creators.

Literature Review

Job Stress and Motivation: People who work independently are more likely to experience stress if their working environment is depressing, their work rhythm is inappropriate, if they have an abundance of problems, and if they are close to the deadline but have not been able to find inspiration. According to Vanchapo, job stress is an emotional state that arises due to a mismatch between the workload and the ability of a person to face all the pressures he receives. Stress at the workplace can diminish motivation, although that's a crucial element in getting things done, especially if there are specific outcomes to accomplish. Perceived job stress can cause a person to lose motivation. The following factors contribute to low motivation as a content creator or entrepreneur, namely, lack of strategy, a content plan, a to-do list, vibrant goals, and fear of failure.

• H1: There is a significant effect of that job stress on motivation

Job Stress and Job Satisfaction 

Factors like if the work or content isn't to one's liking might add stress to the workplace and lower job satisfaction. Meanwhile, freelancers who feel satisfied with their work are more likely to adapt to their work and find themselves easily and comfortably doing content creation work. Riaz et al. [10] reported that job stress is a serious problem related to job satisfaction; this is evidenced by research that job stress negatively affects job satisfaction [11]. It implied that job stress negatively and significantly affects job satisfaction. According to Li, L [12], there is a negative correlation between job stress and work performance due to increased career stress and imbalances: 

• H2: There is a negative effect of that job stress on job satisfaction

Rewards and Motivation

According to Pitts, a reward is a benefit from carrying out a duty, service or taking over all responsibilities. Chin-Ju [13] states that rewards can be money, attention, praise, or a combination of the two. Meanwhile, motivation is related to all efforts made by workers in pursuing an achievement, such as the success of creating content that will have an impact on getting rewards and recognition:

• H3: There is a significant effect of that rewards on motivation

Rewards and Job Satisfaction

Job satisfaction is essential to create a comfortable work environment. [14] suggests that job satisfaction is when the workers' attitudes regarding their work result from their perception. The more people receive results, the more satisfied they will be. It is in accordance with what will be attained when success at work acquires results in the form of rewards since the less they receive in the way of outcomes, the less content they will be: 

• H4: There is a significant effect of rewards on job satisfaction

Motivation and Job Satisfaction 

job motivation is indeed very influential on job satisfaction. job motivation is achieved by aligning one's needs, enthusiasm, and goals with the work that needs to be done in order to produce a good and appropriate outcome [15]. A person is said to have a sense of satisfaction when they feel pleasure while working due to work that has been going on in the past few days. Highly motivated workers also have a high level of passion for achieving their goals, which currently appears to translate into a sense of satisfaction in the content they generate. Herzberg's Theory of Motivation is based on the principle that job satisfaction and dissatisfaction have an independent relationship: 

• H5: There is a significant effect of motivation on job satisfaction

Motivation Mediates Job Stress and Job Satisfaction

Freelancers may beat job stress, which, in turn, affects how satisfied they are with their work if they remain motivated. According to Sowmya and Panchanatham [16], employees who report higher levels of job satisfaction tend to be more productive, have higher levels of involvement and are less likely to resign from their positions than those who report lower levels of job satisfaction. Some factors that cause this relationship are career development, wage stress, and rewards [17].

• H6: Relationship between job stress and the job satisfaction of employment is mediated by motivation

Motivation Mediates Rewards and Job Satisfaction

Offering equitable and practical rewards can motivate workers to perform better. Not only from the presence of motivation, companies also need to pay attention to employee job satisfaction. Every employee has a different quality of job satisfaction, in line with the goals and assessments he adheres to [18]:

• H7: Relationship between reward and job satisfaction is mediated by motivation

Measurement

Researchers employed non-probability sampling techniques, namely purposive sampling. The purpose of using purposive sampling is to determine the sample of a study that does require certain criteria so that the sample taken is by the purpose of the study. The data collected from the questionnaire were analyzed by Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) with the help of AMOS 26 software.

Sampling and Data Collection

The term "population" is used to refer to the sum of all subjects of research. Meanwhile, the sample is a subset of the population assigned as a research subject since it is thought to represent the whole accurately. This research was conducted in West Kalimantan, and the population was freelance content creators working in various fields according to their expertise.

Data Analysis

This research uses Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) in conjunction with AMOS 26. The fit test model assessed based on goodness of fit index parameters such as chi-square (χ2), CMIN/DF, Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA), root mean squared residual (RMR), goodness of fit index (GFI), Tucker Lewis Index (TLI), Incremental Fit Index (IFI), Comparative Fit Index (CFI), and Normed Fit Index (NFI). The validity evaluation relied on the value of the standardized loading factor (SLF) whose value must be ≥0.50, and the construct reliability relied on the results of tabulation of construct reliability (CR) and average variance extracted (AVE) values. Furthermore, the SEM analysis carried out is the analysis of structural models to assess the research hypotheses that have been built and whether they are accepted or rejected.

Respondent Characteristics

In the study results (Table 1), respondents' characteristics were based from content creator.

Measurement and Structural Models

The results of goodness of fit, validity, and reliability tests can be described as follow:

Table 2 shows that the entire model has loading factors greater than 0.50 on all elements. It indicates that all items comprising variable values (job stress, reward, motivation, and job satisfaction) are thought to be valid and are alleged to be appropriate in measuring the construct validity. In addition to this, reliability tests produce outcomes that are suitable and consistent. All items in the value of job stress, reward, motivation, and job satisfaction are also considered reliable and consistently measure the whole construct model. This is evident from the variance extract (VE) value, which has a value greater than 0.50, and the construct reliability (CR) value, which has a value greater than 0.70.

Table 1: Characteristics of Respondents

Table 2: Measurement Model Results

Table 3: Goodness of Fit Index

Table 4:  Hypothesis Testing

Table 3 presents the result Measurement of the goodness of fit (GOF). It showed that the result from the Conformity requirement is accepted. Six measurements demonstrate an index Match that is satisfactory and adequate. These Data Results exist. The degree of fit can be obtained by setting CMIN/DF = 2.438 (3.00) and RMSEA = 0.080 (0.08). In addition. The results indicated appropriate obtain value above 0.90. So that get stated the model, fit is accepted.

Hypotheses Testing

The test results of the causal relationship between variables in the present research construct are as follows.

Figure 1 and Table 4 showed that the t-test value for the variable job stress and motivation obtained a number that was greater than 6.588, which indicated it was greater than the t-table value of 1.96. Likewise, the p-value received a number less than 0.001, indicating a value  less than 0.05 (α = 0.05). It implied that the hypothesis is accepted and that job stress has a significant effect on motivation. In addition, the result of the t-test value for the reward and motivation was 9.064, and the p-value was less than 0.001. It indicated that there is a positive effect of reward on motivation. Moreover, the t-test value for the motivation and job satisfaction variable is 2.107, and the corresponding p-value is 0.035, indicating a statistically significant positive effect of motivation and job satisfaction. Lastly, for the impact of job stress on job satisfaction, the t-score was -2.824, and the p-value was 0.005

Furthermore, the indirect impacts of the mediating variables are presented in Table 5, which contains the Sobel test results.

The results show that the t-Sobel value obtains a good and fit value for it to mediate between these variables. It implied that the motivation variable is acting as a mediating variable in facilitating the influence of the job stress and job satisfaction variable. Similarly, motivation variables operate as a mediating factor between reward and job satisfaction.

Table 5: Sobel Test-Significance of Mediation

Figure 1: Full Model Structural Test

Referring to the statistical result of the first hypothesis, it revealed that there is positive and significant effect of job stress on the motivation of freelancers in West Kalimantan. It contradicts the findings of research conducted by Fong and Mahfar [19] and Qureshi [20], who found that stress at work has a detrimental effect on motivation, which generates a gap in this research. The researchers believed that freelancers are different from permanent workers. Even though they are dealing with job stress because professionalism needs to be prioritized, freelancers still need to increase their motivation because they have goals and agreements related to their work. 

The second hypothesis can be summarized as follows: job stress has a negative impact on job satisfaction. When freelancers have a high level of stress, they will report lower levels of work satisfaction; this finding is consistent with previous research [10]. 

The third hypothesis demonstrates a significant effect of rewards on motivation. One of the motivations that a freelancer can be increased when the outcomes of his content are favorably responded to. This result is in line with the previous research [21-23]. 

The fourth hypothesis shows the result that rewards have a significant effect on job satisfaction. It is because a freelancer will feel satisfied when he gets an award and feel more valued. The findings supported the previous research [13]. 

The fifth hypothesis showed a significant effect of motivation on job satisfaction. When a freelance content creator is highly motivated, it will impact with enthusiasm in developing good content. Furthermore, content that is responded to favorably by clients will increase job satisfaction. This hypothesis is also in accordance with preceding research. 

The sixth hypothesis revealed that there is a relationship between job stress and job satisfaction of; employment is mediated by motivation. It follows research conducted by Basalamah, M. S. A. and As'ad, A. [24]. 

The seventh hypothesis revealed that a relationship between reward and job satisfaction is mediated by motivation. It is in line with the previous research [25].

Numerous factors in the world of work have the potential to impact a worker, such as the variables that have been researched. These factors include job stress, rewards, motivation, and job satisfaction. Freelancers who have high job satisfaction will have a good impact on their professionalism. 

Having innovative ideas is also beneficial for clients who use the services of freelancers to contribute to the development of the business world. Occasionally, businesses require a workforce with specialized skills or skills that permanent workers cannot meet. Therefore, freelancers can provide this type of workforce for these companies.

Obviously, a reward is necessary for workers as it impacts job satisfaction, which affects the worker's motivation level. This study revealed that job stress negatively impacts job satisfaction; therefore, to overcome this obstacle, a good strategy response is required. Some ideas can be selecting content according to time or self-creativity, consistently communicating well with clients, and making appropriate targets when creating the content.

All of the data, beginning with the goodness-of-fit index, yielded results suggesting that all variables were measured using an appropriate index. In addition, the outcomes of the hypothesis testing and the Sobel testing both are fit, and the relationships between the variables affect one another, with a particularly detrimental impact on the relationships between job stress and job satisfaction. The effects of job stress on workplace motivation differ from those of previous studies, and it was found to be a research gap. It implied that freelancers can learn to disregard the negative effects of stress at work and instead use that pressure to propel them forward in order to fulfill their prescribed obligations and produce high-quality material despite their precarious situation.

The scope of this study is restricted to West Kalimantan, Indonesia, and its focus is on independent content creators. It is expected that future research will be conducted regarding other variables linked to freelancers and content creators to obtain different research results. The findings of this study have important implications for acquiring additional information in the process of becoming a freelancer or working with freelancers. In addition, the findings of this study can serve as a reference for future research that can be used to apply and develop new knowledge in the field of freelance content creators

Acknowledgement

I would like to express our gratitude to the Management study program, and the Faculty of Economics and Business at Universitas Tanjungpura for their assistance in the publication of this journal

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