Work–family enrichment and satisfaction: the mediating role of self-efficacy and work–life balance

Although the direct effects of work–family enrichment on satisfaction are well-documented, previous theoretical predictions and empirical findings of the relationship have been inconsistent. Drawing on social cognitive theory, the current research examined how work–family enrichment contributes to job and family satisfaction by exploring the mediating mechanisms of self-efficacy and work–life balance. This study also empirically validated a new self-efficacy measure using the work–life interface nomological network. A heterogeneous sample of Australian employees (N = 234) from four different organisations responded to two waves of data collection separated by a 12-month interval. Using structural equation modelling, the results of the statistical analysis provided preliminary support for the hypothesised chain mediation model and the newly developed five-item self-efficacy to regulate work and life scale. Specifically, work-to-family enrichment and family-to-work enrichment were positively related to self-efficacy, which in turn had a positive effect on work–life balance. Similarly, work–life balance had a positive impact on job and family satisfaction. Evidence of these relationships over time was demonstrated, thereby emphasising the importance of person–cognitive resources (e.g. self-efficacy) in influencing life outcomes. Validation of the self-efficacy scale also demonstrated robust psychometric properties and criterion validity. Implications of these results were subsequently discussed.     

Crossing the borders: the relationship between boundary management,work–family enrichment and job satisfaction

Building upon Boundary Theory, the present study aims at investigating boundary management as a predictor of work-to-family enrichment and, in turn, of job satisfaction. We conceptualize boundary management both as an individual (preferences of an employee) as well as a contextual variable (perceived supplies of a workplace), both with respect to the two dimensions permeability (psychological boundary) and flexibility (physical boundary). In a survey of 222 employees with at least one child at home, we assessed employees' permeability and flexibility preferences, perceived permeability and flexibility supplies of the workplace, work-to-family enrichment and job satisfaction. Regression analysis showed a strong positive association between employees' permeability preferences, work-to-family enrichment and job satisfaction and between perceived flexibility supplies of the workplace, work-to-family enrichment and job satisfaction. Work-to-family enrichment mediated the relationship between permeability preferences and job satisfaction. Furthermore, work-to-family enrichment mediated the relationship between perceived flexibility supplies and job satisfaction. Theoretical and practical implications of the results will be discussed.     

Relationships among three facets of family-supportive work environments,work–family conflict and job satisfaction: a research in Greece

The purpose of the present study is to extend the line of current enquiry related to family-supportive work environments (FSWEs), and their relationships to work–family conflict (WFC) and job satisfaction. Three facets of a FSWE are examined: family (non-) supportive culture, family-supportive management (FSM) and the model of ideal worker. Data were collected through a questionnaire survey from 612 employees. The results indicate that among the three facets of a FSWE, FSM appears to better predict both WFC and job satisfaction. Furthermore, WFC was negatively related to job satisfaction. An intriguing result is that the ideal worker model – manifested via long hours of work, visibility, availability and the dominance of organisation's needs over the family ones – was found to be positively related to job satisfaction, whilst it has no impact on WFC. Finally, the implications for practice and future research are discussed.     

Linking work–family conflict to job attitudes: the mediating role of social exchange relationships

This study uses social exchange theory to develop a model of the processes linking work–family conflict to job attitudes. This model was tested on a sample of 236 employees in Taiwan's high-technology industry. The regression results revealed that perceived organizational support and leader–member exchange fully mediated the influence of work–family conflict on intentions to quit and affective organizational commitment, and partially mediated work–family conflict's influence on job satisfaction. The implications are discussed in this article.     

Exploring the psychological mechanisms linking work-related factors with work–family conflict and work–family facilitation among Taiwanese nurses

Based on the logic of the job demands-resources model, we argue that work-related factors that demand workers’ resources, such as job overload and organizational constraints, may lead to work–family conflict through emotional exhaustion. Other work-related factors that generate resources for workers, such as job autonomy and task significance, may lead to work–family facilitation through job satisfaction. Analyzing survey data collected from different sources among professional nurses in Taiwan, we use structural equation modeling technique to find support for our hypotheses. Our study complements the work and family literature by demonstrating the mechanisms through which work-related factors may demand or provide workers with resources that lead to work–family conflict and work–family facilitation, respectively.     

Effects of work–family and family–work conflicts on flexible work arrangements demand: a gender role perspective

In recent years, a growing number of firms have adopted flexible work arrangements (FWAs) to help managers balance their work–family demands. Based on a sample of 1336 married managers in Korea, we found that work–family conflict increased the FWAs demand more for female managers than for male managers. When facing work–family conflict, the absence of family-supportive supervision increased the demand for FWAs, particularly among female managers. No such effect was found for family–work conflict. In addition, having a female supervisor led to an increased demand for FWAs from company managers. These results suggest that firms should pay close attention to gender difference and supervisory roles in predicting the demand for FWAs to alleviate work–family conflicts.     

Searching for a balance: work–family practices,work–team design,and organizational performance

The crucial impact of work–family issues on employee's well-being has been recognized and responded with a variety of research in field of organizational behavior. However, few studies examine the impact of how work–family practices affect productivity at firm-level. Following the research stream of strategic human resource management, we proposed that work–family may form the norm of reciprocity, which is a more sophisticated and more critical, internal social-structure component to enable organizational performance. We also examine the contingent effect, work–team structure – on the extent to which the work–family practices are appreciated by employees – and then create complementarities. We conduct a longitudinal study and utilize a data set of 204 Taiwanese public-traded firms to test our hypotheses. The results show that, contrary to our prediction, utilizing work–family practices does not have a significant positive impact on organizational productivity. However, the most important finding of this study is that there are synergies between work–family practices and work–team design on organizational productivity. Work–team design is an important situation in which the returns of work–family practices can be enhanced.     

Who's got the balance? A study of satisfaction with the work–family balance among part-time service sector employees in five western European countries

Working part-time is frequently considered a viable strategy for employees to better combine work and non-work responsibilities. The present study examines differences in satisfaction with work-family balance (SWFB) among professional and non-professional part-time service sector employees in five western European countries. Part-time employees were found to be more SWFB than full-time employees even after taking varying demands and resources into account. However, there are important differences among the part-timers. Employees in marginal part-time employment with considerably reduced working hours were the most satisfied. Professionals were found to profit less from reduced working hours and experienced lower levels of SWFB than non-professionals. No significant differences in SWFB were found between male and female part-time workers.     

The interactive effects of leader–member exchange,gender and spouse's gender role orientation on work interference with family conflict

Based on social support and gender role theories, we examined the direct and interactive effects of leader–member exchange, gender and spouse's gender role orientation on work–family conflict. Survey data were collected from matched dyads from 185 dual-earner couples in Sri Lanka. The results show that leader–member exchange is negatively related to work interference with family. There is also support for crossover effects among couples such that individuals with spouses who have a traditional gender role orientation experience greater work interference with family conflict. Finally, there is a three-way interaction such that a spouse's gender role orientation moderates the relationship between leader–member exchange and work interference with family conflict differently for men and women.     

Dual sources of support for dual roles: how mentoring and work–family culture influence work–family conflict and job attitudes

This study examines the influence of mentoring support and perceptions of a supportive work–family culture on the level of work–family conflict (WFC), job satisfaction and affective commitment reported by employees in a Fortune 100 professional services organization. Main effects and interaction effects between mentoring and work–family culture were explored. Results indicate that the presence of a mentor is significantly related to affective commitment while a supportive work–family culture was associated with less WFC – both family interference with work and work interference with family – and greater job satisfaction and affective commitment. For both job satisfaction and affective commitment, there is an interaction effect that suggests a synergy between direct and contextual support. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.     

Relationships of work–family conflict with business and marriage outcomes in Taiwanese copreneurial women

This study used bidirectional interrole conflict measures to examine the permeability of work and family domains, and to further investigate the relationships of work–family conflict with business and marriage outcomes in copreneurial women. Analytical results from 202 Taiwanese copreneurial women were summarized as follows: (1) family boundaries were more permeable than work domains; (2) work–family conflict is negatively related to perceived business success and marriage satisfaction; and (3) work-to-family conflict predicts marriage satisfaction, whereas family-to-work conflict predicts perceived business success. The results were interpreted and implications were discussed in terms of consulting strategies of work–family management strategies and participative management techniques in family business.     

Analysis of organizational commitment and work–family conflict in view of doctors and nurses

The present study investigates the relationship between organizational commitment and work–family conflict for medical doctors and nurses. Using canonical analysis on questionnaire, this relation has been tested distinctively through three sub-dimensions of organizational commitment listed: affective commitment, continuance commitment and normative commitment. Data collected from 766 (411 doctors and 355 nurses) individuals employed at seven state hospitals and three medical faculties of universities in Ankara. Analysis revealed that the relationship between organizational commitment scale and work–family conflict scale is weak and positive. Results suggest that the more committed the doctors and nurses are to the hospital they work for, the more work–family conflict they experience. On the basis of the sample information obtained in this study, it is possible to claim that if the employees are supported to establish a fair balance between their work and family lives in the guidance of these principles, a strong commitment to the organization will develop.     

Negative work–family/family–work spillover and demand for flexible work arrangements: the moderating roles of parenthood and gender

In recent years, companies have increasingly adopted flexible work arrangements (FWAs) to help company managers address negative work–family/family–work spillover (inter-role conflicts between work and family roles). Accordingly, we investigate the effects of parenthood and gender on the relationship between negative work–family/family–work spillover and demand for FWAs. Based on a sample of 1577 managers (967 females and 610 males) of South Korean companies, the results show that parenthood has a significant moderating effect on the relationship between negative work–family/family–work spillover and the demand for FWAs, regardless of gender. The present study highlights the importance of parenthood not only in addressing negative work–family/family–work spillover but also in expressing a demand for FWAs.     

The mediating influence of work–family conflict and the moderating influence of gender on employee outcomes

Finding a balance between work and home continues to be a challenge for many employees. The influence of work–family conflict both from work interfering with family (WIF) and from family interfering with work (FIW) on employee outcomes is not well understood. Although substantial empirical research supports the general view that work–family conflict results from employees having conflicting roles, many previous studies examine work–family conflict and outcomes in the same, or ‘matching’ domains. Some studies on work conflict also have found cross domain outcomes that are largely unexplained. This research addresses this gap in the field by developing and testing the hypothesis that cross domain relationships will be mediated by conflict in the matching domains. Specifically, this study proposes that WIF mediates the relationship between FIW and four employee work outcomes (job satisfaction, organizational commitment, organizational citizenship behavior and task performance), and that FIW mediates the relationship between WIF and life satisfaction. This research also examines the moderating role of gender on the relationships while controlling for age and family status. The results of this study using a sample of 435 full time employees in the US provide support for most of the hypothesized relationships. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.     

Knowledge sharing,work–family conflict and supervisor support: investigating a three-way effect

Despite the importance of knowledge sharing in competitive environments, there is a paucity of studies examining the relationship between employee knowledge sharing and work–family conflict. Drawing on insights from conservation of resources theory, this study investigated how employees may reduce their knowledge-sharing behaviors when they experience resources lost from work interference with family (WIF) or family interference with work (FIW). Furthermore, the role of supervisor support in the relationship among WIF, FIW and knowledge sharing was explored as a valuable resource. Using data collected from 159 employees in South Korea, we found support that WIF is negatively related to knowledge sharing. In addition, the role of supervisor support in the relationship among WIF, FIW and knowledge sharing was the strongest when WIF is low and FIW is high, thus supporting the hypothesized a three-way effect. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.     

Work–family conflict/family–work conflict,job stress,burnout and intention to leave in the hotel industry in Quebec (Canada): moderating role of need for family friendly practices as “resource passageways”

Abstract

This study examines how the need for family friendly practices contribute in increasing the effects of work–family conflict (WFC) and family–work conflict (FWC) on job stress, burnout, and intention to leave in the hotel industry in Quebce (258 staff). The essential results indicate that the perception of a need for childcare moderates the relationship between FWC, job stress, and burnout. Also, employees wanting to have a compressed workweek and part time measures are exposed to more stress related to WFC/FWC. Finally, the four measures can constitute resources passageways in order to reduce the work-family interference, job stress, burnout and therefore the intention to leave. Theoretically, he results extend this line of theorizing by highlighting the importance of subjective needs for family friendly policies, as ‘resource caravan passageways’, in the work–family interface and job outcome processes. The perception of a desire or need for these measures offers a new understanding of these practices. Practically, identifying who is more sensitive to family friendly measures would enable organizations or employers to allocate supportive resources more adequately by targeting those employees who are most in need of such practices.     

Work–family conflict among Australian dual-earner couples: testing the effects of role salience crossover and gender

Drawing on identity theory, this study examined the extent to which the salience (i.e. importance) individuals in dual-earner couples attached to their respective work and family roles determined their partner’s experience of work-to-family (W-F) and family-to-work (F-W) conflict through crossover effects. Using matched surveys, data were collected from a sample of 94 Australian dual-earner couples. Consistent with our predictions, results supported couple-level crossover effects of role salience to influence each partner’s experience of W-F and F-W conflicts. In addition, the impact of crossover effects on W-F and F-W conflicts was found to be more pronounced for women than men. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.     

The relationships between multifoci workplace aggression and work–family conflict

This study examined the relationships between multifoci workplace aggression by supervisors, coworkers, and customers and employees’ work–family conflict (ranked by spouses or closest family members). Furthermore, this study explored how employees’ problem-focused coping levels moderate the relationship between multifoci workplace aggression and employees’ negative affect, which subsequently influences their work–family conflicts. Data from a sample of 457 working adults and their spouses (or their closest family members) and results showed the direct effects of multifoci workplace aggression on employees’ work–family conflict. This research also found that problem-focused coping would weaken the relationship between supervisor/coworker aggression and employees’ negative affect. Moreover, the results revealed that the effects of multifoci workplace aggression spilled over into employees’ family domain through negative affect and influenced their work–family conflicts (ranked by spouses or closest family members). Finally, a moderated-mediation model used in this study supported the hypothesis that negative affect mediates the interactive effects of multifoci workplace aggression and problem-focused coping on employees’ work–family conflicts. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.     

The role of affective commitment and political skill in the work interfering with family (WIF) conflict – voluntary turnover relationship

The present study explores how political skill affects an employee’s coping behavior in response to Work Interfering with Family (WIF) conflict. Applying Conservation of Resource theory, we argue that politically skilled individuals are more cognizant of the social embeddedness of WIF, and because of cross-domain resource (e.g. time, attention, energy) depletion, lack the resources to cope with its effects. As such, they leverage their political skill to more effectively turnover from the organization than less politically skilled individuals by detaching their identity and lowering their affective commitment to their organization. We tested the hypotheses using a sample of 181 individuals from a retail firm, and results support the hypothesized model. First, a test of indirect effects confirmed that affective commitment partially mediated the link between WIF and voluntary turnover (measured six months later). Second, a moderated-mediation test revealed, as hypothesized, that affective commitment only functioned as a mediator for individual with high levels of political skill. Implications for practice and directions for future research are discussed.     

How do top executives handle their work and family life? A taxonomy of top executives' work–family balance

Aiming to increase understanding of work–family balance at the executive level and to derive implications for human resource management, this study analyses patterns of the way in which different top executives handle the interface between work and family domains. Drawing on role theory, research on work–family linkages and a qualitative study with 42 top executives, the authors identify eight constructs that constitute top executives' work–family balance. By applying cluster analysis to dyadic data from 220 top executives and their life partners, they detect five top executive work–family balance types, according to the interplay of the top executives' satisfaction and functioning at work and at home, as well as the conflicts between the two life domains. The balance types imply significant variance in highly relevant outcomes, such as job performance and job attitudes.