Showing papers on "Work–family conflict published in 2016"

Work-related smartphone use, work–family conflict and family role performance: The role of segmentation preference

Abstract: Is work-related smartphone use during off-job time associated with lower conflict owing to the blurring of the boundaries between work and family life? Or does it help employees juggling work and family demands? The present four-day quantitative diary study (N = 71 employees, N = 265–280 data points) aims to shed light on the relationship between daily work-related smartphone use during off-job time, and daily work–family conflict and daily family role performance, respectively. Moreover, individuals’ general segmentation preference is investigated as a potential cross-level moderator in the relationships between daily work-related smartphone use during off-job time and both work–family conflict and family role performance. Overall, the results of multilevel modelling support our mediated moderation model indicating that for integrators more frequent work-related smartphone use during off-job time is associated with better family role performance through reduced work–family conflict. For segmenters, smartphone use does not have any impact on work–family conflict and family role performance. These findings suggest that for integrators smartphone use during off-job time may be useful to simultaneously meet both work demands and family demands, which has the potential to reduce work–family conflict and enhance family role performance; whereas for segmenters no effects were found.

'I'm So Stressed!': A Longitudinal Model of Stress, Burnout and Engagement among Social Workers in Child Welfare Settings.

Abstract: The well-documented day-to-day and long-term experiences of job stress and burnout among employees in child welfare organisations increasingly raise concerns among leaders, policy makers and scholars. Testing a theory-driven longitudinal model, this study seeks to advance understanding of the differential impact of job stressors (work-family conflict, role conflict and role ambiguity) and burnout (emotional exhaustion and depersonalisation) on employee disengagement (work withdrawal and exit-seeking behaviours). Data were collected at three six-month intervals from an availability sample of 362 front line social workers or social work supervisors who work in a large urban public child welfare organisation in the USA. The study's results yielded a good model fit (RMSEA = 0.06, CFI = 0.96, NFI = 0.94). Work-family conflict, role ambiguity and role conflict were found to impact work withdrawal and exit-seeking behaviours indirectly through burnout. The outcome variable, exit-seeking behaviours, was positively impacted by depersonalisation and work withdrawal at a statistically significant level. Overall, findings, at least in the US context, highlight the importance of further examining the development of job burnout among social workers and social work supervisors working in child welfare settings, as well as the utility of long-term administrative strategies to mitigate risks of burnout development and support engagement.

The role of workaholism in the job demands-resources model.

Abstract: Background and Objectives: The present study tries to gain more insight in workaholism by investigating its antecedents and consequences using the job demands-resources model. Design: We hypothesized that job demands would be positively related to workaholism, particularly when job resources are low. In addition, we hypothesized that workaholism would be positively related to negative outcomes in three important life domains: health, family, and work. Methods: The research involved 617 Italian workers (employees and self-employed). To test the hypotheses we applied structural equation modeling (SEM) and moderated structural equation modeling (MSEM) using Mplus 6. Results: The results of SEM showed a good model where workload, cognitive demands, emotional demands, and customer-related social stressors were positively related to workaholism and work–family conflict (WFC) (partial mediation). Additionally, workaholism was indirectly related to exhaustion and intentions to change jobs through WFC. Mor...

Work–Family Effects of Servant Leadership: The Roles of Emotional Exhaustion and Personal Learning

Abstract: This study examined how servant leadership influences employees in terms of work-to-family conflict (WFC) and work-to-family positive spillover (WFPS). These effects were explored through a focus on the mediating roles of emotional exhaustion and personal learning. The results, which were based on time-lagged data collection in China, indicated that employee perceptions of servant leadership related negatively to WFC and positively to WFPS. Moreover, reduced emotional exhaustion and enhanced personal learning mediated the relationship between servant leadership and WFPS. Furthermore, reduced emotional exhaustion (but not enhanced personal learning) mediated the relationship between servant leadership and WFC. Our study’s results provide insightful theoretical and managerial implications and offer new directions for research on leadership and work–family relations.

Why do you feel stressed in a “smile factory”?: Hospitality job characteristics influence work–family conflict and job stress

Abstract: Purpose – This study aims to theoretically construct the role of hospitality job characteristics (HJCs), conceptually identify specific HJCs and empirically examine the relationships of these to work–family conflict and job stress. Hospitality employees work in a “smile factory” – often under stress. Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected from 346 hotel employees in China and analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM) and a series of hierarchical regression analyses (HRA). Findings – The SEM results confirmed the general role of HJCs as a job stressor, and the HRA findings differentiated the specific impacts of the characteristics on work–family conflict and job stress. Research limitations/implications – The survey was cross-sectional and correlational in nature. Furthermore, the results were also from selected hotels, and the respondents do not fully represent all hotel employees. Finally, the measures of hospitality job uniqueness were employees’ subjective agreement on the given stat...

Tethered to work: A family systems approach linking mobile device use to turnover intentions.

Abstract: We examined the use of a mobile device for work during family time (mWork) to determine the role that it plays in employee turnover intentions. Using a sample of 344 job incumbents and their spouses, we propose a family systems model of turnover and examine 2 paths through which we expect mWork to relate to turnover intentions: the job incumbent and the spouse. From the job incumbent, we found that the job incumbent's mWork associated with greater work-to-family conflict and burnout, and lower organizational commitment. From the spouse, we found that incumbent mWork and greater work-to-family conflict associated with increased resentment by the spouse and lower spousal commitment to the job incumbent's organization. Both of these paths played a role in predicting job incumbent turnover intentions. We discuss implications and opportunities for future research on mWork for integrating work and family into employee turnover intentions.

Intervention effects on safety compliance and citizenship behaviors: Evidence from the Work, Family, and Health Study.

Abstract: We tested the effects of a work-family intervention on employee reports of safety compliance and organizational citizenship behaviors in 30 health care facilities using a group-randomized trial. Based on conservation of resources theory and the work-home resources model, we hypothesized that implementing a work-family intervention aimed at increasing contextual resources via supervisor support for work and family, and employee control over work time, would lead to improved personal resources and increased employee performance on the job in the form of self-reported safety compliance and organizational citizenship behaviors. Multilevel analyses used survey data from 1,524 employees at baseline and at 6-month and 12-month postintervention follow-ups. Significant intervention effects were observed for safety compliance at the 6-month, and organizational citizenship behaviors at the 12-month, follow-ups. More specifically, results demonstrate that the intervention protected against declines in employee self-reported safety compliance and organizational citizenship behaviors compared with employees in the control facilities. The hypothesized mediators of perceptions of family-supportive supervisor behaviors, control over work time, and work-family conflict (work-to-family conflict, family-to-work conflict) were not significantly improved by the intervention. However, baseline perceptions of family-supportive supervisor behaviors, control over work time, and work-family climate were significant moderators of the intervention effect on the self-reported safety compliance and organizational citizenship behavior outcomes.

Juggling work and family responsibilities when involuntarily working more from home: A multiwave study of financial sales professionals

Abstract: Using multiwave survey data collected among 251 financial sales professionals, we tested whether involuntarily working more from home (teleworking) was related to higher time-based and strain-based work-tofamily conflict (WFC). Employees’ boundary management strategy (integration vs. segmentation) and work–family balance self-efficacy were considered as moderators of these relationships. Data were collected one month before, three months after, and 12 months after the implementation of a new cost-saving policy that eliminated employees’ access to office space in a centralized work location. The policy resulted in employees being forced to work more from home. A voluntary telework program had been in effect before the new policy, implying that working more from home as a result of the new policy was involuntary in nature. Results revealed that involuntarily working more from home was associated with higher strain-based WFC but not higher time-based WFC. However, moderator analyses revealed that the positive association between involuntarily working more from home and both types of WFC was significantly stronger among employees with weaker self-efficacy in balancing work and family. Boundary management strategy had no detectable moderating effect.

Work-family conflict and couple relationship quality: A meta-analytic study.

Abstract: This study examined the association between work–family conflict and couple relationship quality. We conducted a meta-analytic review of 49 samples from 33 papers published between 1986 and 2014. The results indicated that there was a significant negative relationship between work–family conflict and couple relationship quality (r = −.19, k = 49). Several moderators were included in this analysis: gender, region, parental status, dual-earner status, and the measures used for work–family conflict and marital quality variables. The strength of the relationship varied based on the region of the sample—samples from Europe and Asia had a significantly weaker relationship between work–family conflict and relationship quality than those from North America. In addition, the relationship was significantly weaker in samples of dual-earner couples and when non-standardized scales were used. Implications of the results and directions for future research are suggested.

Emotional Exhaustion and Job Satisfaction in Airport Security Officers - Work-Family Conflict as Mediator in the Job Demands-Resources Model.

Abstract: The growing threat of terrorism has increased the importance of aviation security and the work of airport security officers (screeners). Nonetheless, airport security research has yet to focus on emotional exhaustion and job satisfaction as major determinants of screeners’ job performance. The present study bridges this research gap by applying the job demands–resources (JD−R) model and using work–family conflict (WFC) as an intervening variable to study relationships between work characteristics (workload and supervisor support), emotional exhaustion, and job satisfaction in 1,127 screeners at a European airport. Results of structural equation modeling revealed that (a) supervisor support as a major job resource predicted job satisfaction among screeners; (b) workload as a major job demand predicted their emotional exhaustion; and (c) WFC proved to be a promising extension to the JD–R model that partially mediated the impact of supervisor support and workload on job satisfaction and emotional exhaustion. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Occupational Stress, Work-Family Conflict and Depressive Symptoms among Chinese Bank Employees: The Role of Psychological Capital.

Abstract: Although depression is a major problem affecting the physical and mental health of the occupational population worldwide, little research is available among bank employees. The purpose of the study was to examine the effects of occupational stress and work-family conflict on depressive symptoms and the mediating role of psychological capital (PsyCap). A cross-sectional study was performed from May to June in 2013 in Liaoning province, China. The effort-reward imbalance (ERB) scale, the work-family conflict scale, the PsyCap questionnaire and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale were completed by 1546 employees in state-owned banks. A total of 1239 effective respondents (467 men and 772 women) became our subjects. Hierarchical regression analysis was carried out to explore the effects of extrinsic effort, reward, overcommitment, work-family conflict, and PsyCap on depressive symptoms. The mediating role of PsyCap was examined using Preacher and Hayes’ asymptotic and resampling strategies. The mean score of depressive symptoms was 18.4 (SD = 7.6) among the Chinese bank employees. Extrinsic effort, overcommitment and work-family conflict were positively associated with depressive symptoms. Reward and PsyCap were negatively associated with depressive symptoms. The significant mediating roles of PsyCap in the associations of extrinsic effort (a*b = 0.046, BCa 95% CI: 0.029, 0.066) and reward (a*b = −0.047, BCa 95% CI: −0.065, −0.030) with depressive symptoms were revealed. There is a high level of depressive symptoms among Chinese bank employees. PsyCap partially mediates the effects of extrinsic effort and reward on depressive symptoms. Investing in PsyCap may provide new approaches to improve mental health among Chinese bank employees.

Fathers at Work Work–Family Conflict, Work–Family Enrichment and Parenting in an Australian Cohort

Abstract: Contemporary fathering is characterized by the combined responsibilities of employment and parenting. Relationships between work–family conflict, work–family enrichment, and fathering behaviors have not been widely investigated. Secondary data from fathers of 4- to 5-year-old children participating in the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children were analyzed (N = 2,679). Results revealed that higher work–family conflict was associated with irritable (β = .06, p < .001), less warm (β = −0.04, p < .01), inconsistent parenting (β = −.07, p < .001), when sociodemographic and child characteristics were controlled for. Protective associations were found between work–family enrichment and optimal parenting behaviors (β = .10 warmth; β = −.05 irritability, p < .01). These results were largely unchanged when mental health was included in analyses. Sole-earner fathers and those employed for long hours were most likely to report high work–family conflict. Findings provide impetus for workplace and public policy to...

A meta-analytic investigation of the relationship between leader-member exchange and work-family experiences ☆

Abstract: It is well accepted that leadership-relevant constructs (e.g., leader support, family supportive supervisor behaviors) are advantageous for subordinates' work-family experiences. However, the profundity of this literature has lacked connection to well-established leadership theories, which could inform its progress. This study was designed to demonstrate the value of LMX theory as a lens through which employees' work-family experiences can be understood. An expansive search of the published and unpublished literature yielded 64 correlations ( N = 18.139) from 40 independent studies. Using random-effects meta-analysis, LMX was demonstrated to be negatively related to work interference with family (ρ = − 0.26), and family interference with work (ρ= − 0.13), and positively linked to work-family enrichment (ρ = 0.38), and family-work enrichment (ρ = 0.28). Analyses suggest both contextual and methodological moderators in the relationship between LMX and work interference with family. This study highlights the value of incorporating established leadership theory into work-family research to better understand how and why leaders assist their employees in effectively managing work and family.

Service employees’ fit, work-family conflict, and work engagement

Abstract: Purpose Using person–job fit, congruence and conservation of resources theories as the theoretical underpinnings, the purpose of this study is to propose and test a research model that investigates work-family conflict and family–work conflict as mediators of the impact of person–job fit on work engagement. The model also examines the mediating role of work engagement in the relationship between conflicts in the work–family interface and life satisfaction. Design/methodology/approach Data gathered from frontline hotel employees two weeks apart in three waves in Romania were utilized to assess the abovementioned relationships via structural equation modeling. Findings Two directions of conflict act as partial mediators between person–job fit and work engagement. Work engagement fully mediates the relationship between work–family conflict and life satisfaction, while it functions as a partial mediator of the effect of family–work conflict on life satisfaction. Originality/value This paper contributes to current knowledge by investigating the interrelationships of person–job fit, two directions of conflict, work engagement and life satisfaction.

Crossover effects of work-family conflict among Chinese couples

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the crossover effects of one partner’s work-family conflict (WFC) on the other partner’s family satisfaction, physical well-being, and mental well-being. The study tests the moderating effect of the opposite partner’s family identity salience within the crossover process in a Chinese context. Design/methodology/approach – A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect matched data from 212 Chinese dual-earner couples. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis was employed to test the research hypotheses. Findings – The results showed that there were significantly negative crossover effects of husbands’ WFC on their wives’ family satisfaction, physical well-being, and mental well-being, and vice versa. The authors found that the wives’ family identity salience mitigated the crossover effects of the husbands’ WFC, but the husbands’ family identity did not moderate the crossover effect of the wives’ WFC. Originality/value – This is the first study ...

Work–Family Conflict Among Employees and the Self-Employed Across Europe

Abstract: This article examines the level of work–family conflict of self-employed persons, a changing but neglected group in work–life research, compared to employees in Europe. Differences between the two groups are explained by looking at job demands and resources. The inclusion of work–family state support makes it possible to examine differences between countries. Multilevel analysis has been applied to data from the European Social Survey (ESS 2010). The results show that job demands and resources operate differently for employees and the self-employed. The relationship between employment type and WFC is mediated mainly by job demands such as working hours, working at short notice, job insecurity and supervisory work. The results also reveal variation across countries that cannot be explained by state support, signalling the need for a more complete understanding of WFC from a cross-national perspective.

Work-Life Balance: A Quality-of-Life Model

Abstract: Based on a thorough review of the literature we identified four research streams identifying four corresponding factors that play an important in role work-life balance: (1) balanced role commitment, (2) positive spillover, (3) role conflict, and (4) social alienation. Based on these four factors, we classified individuals into four work-life balance groups with differing levels of life satisfaction. We then explained the psychological dynamics of the model by articulating three principles: satisfaction spillover across life domains, need satisfaction quota, and satisfaction from basic plus growth needs. Research and policy implications are also discussed.

Work–Family Conflict and Self-Rated Health: the Role of Gender and Educational Level. Baseline Data from the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil)

Abstract: Purpose This study examined gender differences in the association between work–family conflict and self-rated health and evaluated the effect of educational attainment.

Maternal Work-Family Conflict and Psychological Distress: Reciprocal Relationships Over 8 Years

Abstract: The relationships between employed mothers’ work–family conflict and psychological distress are unlikely to be static or one way. Using longitudinal data, the authors investigated reciprocal effects between work–family conflict and psychological distress across 8 years of the family life cycle. They modeled cross-lagged structural equations over 5 biennial waves of The relationships between employed mothers’ work–family conflict and psychological distress are unlikely to be static or one way. Using longitudinal data, the authors investigated reciprocal effects between work–family conflict and psychological distress across 8 years of the family life cycle. They modeled cross-lagged structural equations over 5 biennial waves of

LMX, Breach Perceptions, Work-Family Conflict, and Well-Being: A Mediational Model

Abstract: Despite research advances, work-family scholars still lack an understanding of how leadership constructs relate to an employee's ability to effectively manage the work–family interface. In addition, there remains a need to examine the process through which leadership and work-family conflict influence well-being outcomes. Using a sample of 312 workers, a mediated process model grounded in social exchange theory is tested wherein the authors seek to explain how leaders shape employee perceptions, which, in turn, impact organizational fulfillment of expectations (i.e., psychological contract breach), work-family conflict, and well-being. A fully latent structural equation model was used to test study hypotheses, all of which were supported. Building on existing theory, findings suggest that the supervisor plays a critical role as a frontline representative for the organization and that work-family conflict is reduced and well-being enhanced through a process of social exchange between the supervisor...

Understanding the causes and consequences of work-family conflict: An exploratory study of Nigerian employees

Abstract: Purpose – An important theme for a twenty-first century employee is a desire for work and family balance which is devoid of conflict. Drawing on detailed empirical research, the purpose of this paper is to examine the multi-faceted causes and consequences of work-family conflict (WFC) in a non-Western context (Nigeria). Design/methodology/approach – The paper uses qualitative data gleaned from the semi-structured interviews of 88 employees (44 university lecturers and 44 medical doctors) in cities in the six geo-political zones of Nigeria. Findings – The findings showed that work pressure, heavy familial duties, poor infrastructural facilities, and a lack of suitable and practicable work-family balance policies are the main causes of WFC in Nigeria. Juvenile delinquencies, broken marriages/families, and an unhappy workforce are among the grave consequences of WFC among Nigerian employees. Originality/value – This paper suggests that the availability of basic infrastructural facilities, more governmental s...

Failing Families, Failing Science: Work-Family Conflict in Academic Science

Abstract: W hy do we lose women across each stage of the STEM academic pipeline, from majoring in these fields as undergraduates to reaching the status of full professor? This has been the million-dollar question undergirding efforts to enhance the representation of women in these fields over the past few decades. The National Science Foundation itself has invested considerable funds through a variety of grants (e.g., ADVANCE institutional transformation grants) to identify the main causes and implement remedies to address this problem. Alongside such efforts, a voluminous scholarship has developed that identifies barriers to STEM women’s progress. One central culprit that emerges is the design of academic careers in the STEM fields, which makes it difficult for STEM faculty members to be successful scientists while remaining active participants in family responsibilities. This problem is at the heart of Failing Families, Failing Science, by sociologists Elaine Howard Ecklund and Anne E. Lincoln. With both survey data and qualitative interviews from biologists and physicists in highly ranked US research universities, the authors paint a complex picture of the issues academic scientists encounter as they build their careers. The central call to action centers around the need for academic science to move away from norms of complete devotion to scientific careers. This mind-set is increasingly mismatched with the goals of newer cohorts of scientists—both men and women—who are troubled by norms and structures that make it difficult to have meaningful responsibilities outside academic science. Unless such change is realized, their work suggests that the leaking pipeline problem is likely to become more severe across time, as younger scientists who desire more holistic lives are increasingly likely to turn to careers outside academic science. In a landscape increasingly filled with books and articles about women in the STEM fields, Ecklund and Lincoln’s work offers two main contributions. The first contribution is a forceful argument that the work-family issues encountered by people in the STEM fields are increasingly harmful to men as well as women. At the crux of this argument is the pivotal role played by ideal-worker norms that stipulate complete devotion to science, with other matters, such as having a personal life or being actively engaged in family responsibilities, viewed as

Flexible Working Arrangement toward Organizational Commitment and Work-Family Conflict

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between flexible working arrangements and organizationalcommitment and work-family conflict. A total of 130 questionnaires were distributed to the finance executives andthe returned yielding a response rate of 87%. The results revealed that a flexible working arrangement wassignificantly and positively related to organizational commitment. It also revealed that a flexible workingarrangement was significantly and positively related to work-family conflict. Theoretically, this paper hascontributed to the literature on the flexible working arrangement and organizational commitment. Practically, thepractitioners of manufacturing companies should consider implementing flexible working policies to cater to theneeds of their employees by providing flexi-time, remote working or different working hours. In conclusion, thispaper has revealed the importance of flexible working arrangement policies in affecting organizational commitmentand work-family conflict.

Examining the impostor phenomenon and work-family conflict

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the moderated-mediational relationship between the impostor phenomenon (IP) and work-to-family conflict (WFC). Building on conservation of resources (COR) theory, the authors hypothesize that individuals who experience the IP lack the initial resources needed to meet work demands and, thus, experience emotional exhaustion, which leads to WFC. However, the authors hypothesize that additional resources provided by organizations, such as perceived organizational support (POS), may weaken the negative experiences of imposters. Design/methodology/approach – The authors tested a moderated-mediation model using data from a time-lagged survey study among 92 Midwest community college employees. Regression was used to examine the mediating effects of emotional exhaustion and the moderating effect of POS on the IP to WFC relationship. Findings – Results support the hypothesized model. Emotional exhaustion is a mediating mechanism in the relationship between the IP an...