Work–family enrichment, support, and satisfaction: A test of mediation

Abstract

The purpose of this paper was to examine the mediating role of work-to-family enrichment (WFE) and family-to-work enrichment (FWE) between supervisor and family support and job and family satisfaction. Two-hundred and fourteen employed adults participated in an online survey. Correlations demonstrated that perceived supervisor and family support were related to all three dimensions of WFE and FWE, and, in turn, job and family satisfaction, respectively. Regression analyses revealed that WFAff (moods generated through involvement at work that impact the family) and WFCap (psychological resources generated at work that impact the family) partially mediated the relationship between supervisor support and job satisfaction. Only FWAff (moods generated through family involvement that impact work) partially mediated the relationship between family support and family satisfaction. This research demonstrates that the different dimensions of enrichment should not be collapsed into an aggregate measure of WFE and FWE, and has important implications for understanding the positive side of the work–family interface.