The Cost Perception of Work -Family Support Practice use and the Moderated Impact of Psychological Contracts in Japan

Abstract

Purpose: Recently, a social and legal foundation was laid in Japan to support work-life balance(WLB). However, the situation of female regular employees’ early retirement for reasons of birth and childcare has not improved. Till today, childcare remains a significant barrier to Japanese companies’ employment of human resources. Research design, data, and methodology: This study examines the cost of WLB practice use, including career consequences such as downsizing work autonomy, lowering performance expectations, and its direct impact on employees’ outcomes (desire to stay long, perceived WLB, degree of relational terms in psychological contracts). I have also explored fulfillment of psychological contract in WLB-context in Japan and tested its moderate effect between “cost of WLB” and employee outcomes. Results: The analysis results show that 1) the cost of WLB practice use has a negative effect on all employee outcome variables, and 2) their relationship is moderated by the degree to which psychological contracts in the WLB-context are fulfilled. Implications: Investigating how a psychological contract changes as employees undergo life transformations deepens the understanding of the relationship between human resource management (HRM) and employee outcomes.