Authentic leadership extends beyond work: A multilevel model of work-family conflict and enrichment

Abstract

Drawing on the work-home resources model, we develop a multilevel framework of individual and team perceptions of authentic leadership in relation to followers' work-family conflict (WFC) and enrichment (WFE). Our model suggests that authentic leadership buffers followers' WFC and drives their WFE. In addition, leaders' WFC and WFE are examined as moderators to test the boundary conditions of these relationships. We collected data from 33 leaders and 128 followers at two points of measurement and analyzed them with hierarchical linear modeling. At the individual level, authentic leadership related negatively to WFC and positively to WFE. At the team level, authentic leadership related positively to WFE, but not to WFC. Cross-level interactions indicated that leaders' WFC strengthens the relationship between authentic leadership and followers' WFC. These findings contribute to the theoretical understanding of authentic leadership as a resource at multiple levels in organizations and demonstrate its outcomes beyond work.