"Transformed by Fatherhood? Domain Integration, Job Flexibility, and Fatherhood Effects at Work"

Abstract

In this study I explore the moderating influence of work-family domain boundaries and job flexibility on the effects of fatherhood on two work outcomes—number of hours worked per week and prosocial behavior at work. Previous fatherhood studies have provided empirical evidence that fathers conduct themselves differently at work and in their communities than non-fathers, though the theoretical rationale behind this difference remains debated. I thus draw on boundary theory to provide a new theoretical framework for the conversation, with results indicating that the theory’s notion of domain integration is a significant moderator of fatherhood effects on prosocial behavior at work but does not influence the number of hours worked per week. Job flexibility has the opposite moderating effect, significantly interacting with fatherhood on hours worked per week but having no relation to prosocial behavior. I conclude that boundary theory is a useful framework for understanding the conditions under which fatherhood impacts men at work, but that its usefulness will vary depending on the work outcome under consideration. This study contributes a future research direction for fatherhood studies, provides some of the first empirical evidence for a moderating role of integration on family-to-work spillover, and answers recent calls in work-family research to take a more individualized approach to understanding how family roles impact work roles and the conditions under which such inter-role influence occurs.