The success of public organizations in providing excellent services relies heavily on the quality of their human resources. However, the Education Office of East Java Province experienced fluctuations and performance declines during the 2023–2025 period, characterized by a decrease in Employee Performance Targets (SKP), declining attendance rates, and delays in administrative tasks due to dynamic workloads and bureaucratic burnout.This study aims to analyze and test the effect of Work Environment and Quality of Work Life on Employee Performance through Work Motivation as a mediating variable. This study applied a quantitative approach with causal associative methods. The research population was analyzed using a total sampling (census) technique, resulting in a final sample size of 30 employees at the Education Office of East Java Province. Primary data were collected through closed questionnaires with a 1–5 Likert scale, while secondary data were obtained from internal institutional SKP reports. Data analysis was performed using Structural Equation Modeling based on Partial Least Squares (PLS-SEM) via SmartPLS software. The fulfillment of quality of work life (QWL) cannot instantly boost performance unless it is fully transmitted into internal work motivation. The managerial implication suggests that institutional leaders should pivot annual budget allocations away from over-investing in physical renovations and shift toward strengthening non-physical, humanistic ecosystems, such as fair performance recognition systems, technical decision-making involvement, and transparent performance incentives