Family interference and employee dissatisfaction: Do agreeable employees better cope with stress?

Abstract

Extending work–family conflict research, we draw on role theory and conservation of resources theory to propose a moderated-mediation model of the relationship between family interference with work, job stress, agreeableness and employee attitudes. We examined the moderating effect of employee agreeableness on the relationship between family interference with work and job and life satisfaction mediated by job stress. Hypotheses were tested in a sample of 756 employees from 15 industries. Results showed a negative association between family interference with work and job satisfaction and life satisfaction through perceived job stress. Further, this mediated relationship was moderated by employee agreeableness, such that job stress and decrease in job and life satisfaction were perceived only by employees low in agreeableness.