Work-family Research Research Articles

Does Extant Work-Family Research Generalize to African Nations? Meta- Analytic Tests

Does Extant Work-Family Research Generalize to African Nations? Meta- Analytic Tests

HR policy attribution: Implications for work-family person-environment fit

The person-environment fit framework has been increasingly used as a theoretical foundation for work-family research. As this use has grown, several gaps and opportunities regarding its application to this literature have emerged. The present paper draws on attribution theory to build a conceptual model that explains the cognitive processes through which work-family human resource practices are linked to person-environment work-family fit perceptions. We distinguish between employee attributions of work-family practices to an environmental source and attributions about that source's intent in adopting the practice. We argue that these attributions play a critical part in determining the supplies available to an employee to segment or integrate work and family domains. We further link these attributions to attitudes and behaviors targeted at specific environmental levels (i.e., the organization and supervisor) through work-family fit mechanisms. Finally, we explain how our model helps to explain inconsistent research findings and can inform future research drawing on work-family fit frameworks.

Job demands and work–family conflict in preschool teachers: The buffering effects of job resources and off-job recovery experiences

Drawing on the job demands-resources model and effort-recovery model, this two-wave study among preschool teachers explored whether job demands (i.e., workload and surface acting) increase work–family conflict over time. The authors further predicted that job resources (i.e., supervisor support and the perceived meaning of work) as well as recovery experiences during after-work hours (i.e., psychological detachment and relaxation) act as buffers and mitigate the detrimental effects of job demands on work–family conflict. This study was conducted among 337 preschool teachers in Chinese societies over the period of 1 year. In line with these hypotheses, results indicated that job demands (i.e., workload and surface acting) significantly increase work–family conflict over time and, more importantly, job resources and recovery experiences during after-work hours protect against increased work–family conflict over time despite high job demands. These findings contribute to work–family research and show how the detrimental impacts of job demands on the family domain can be prevented through enhancing job resources and fostering well-functioning recovery experiences during after-work hours.

Beyond time-binds: Rethinking work–family dynamics for a mobile world

Contemporary work is increasingly mobile, sparking new challenges for scholars of work and organizations. In this review article, we argue that a ‘mobilities lens’ offers strong potential for rethinking established approaches, focusing on one important sub-field: work–family studies. Drawing on a ‘problematization’ approach (Sandberg and Alvesson, 2011) and a systematic literature review (SLR) of work–family research published from 1995 to 2015, we show how theoretical assumptions about time, space, and place have narrowed the scope of work–family studies, focusing attention on ‘time’ and ‘time-binds’, and a limited subset of mobilities (e.g. telework, commuting). We argue that a mobilities lens can help us ‘think differently’ about work–family dynamics, prompting theoretical and methodological reorientations that recognize the inextricable connection of time and space (as ‘time–space’) and the need for a more encompassing excavation of the power, practice, and meaning of employment-related mobility (ERM) in work–family life. We sketch out a ‘mobilities inspired’ agenda to illustrate how ideas from mobilities studies can enrich work–family inquiry. We also discuss how mobilities studies can benefit, in turn, from greater engagement with work–family and organizational research.

Measuring School–Family Conflict and Enrichment in University Student Parents: A Measurement Validation Study

The purpose of this study was to extend work–family research to the school–family context by adapting Carlson and colleagues’ Work–Family Conflict and Enrichment scales. Using two samples of student parents primarily from Canadian universities, the adapted scales were assessed for reliability, construct validity, and factor structure. The measures had three factors for school–family conflict (school-to-family conflict, behaviour-based conflict, and family-to-school conflict) and five for school–family enrichment (school-to-family growth and affect; and family-to-school development, affect, and efficiency). The two adapted scales were confirmed to be reliable and valid for use with university student parents. Data from the confirmatory factor analysis provided strong support for the factor structure of the School–Family Enrichment Scale, but suggested that additional testing and development of the School–Family Conflict Scale may be required.

Effects of authentic leadership on work–family balance in China

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of authentic leadership on the work–family balance (WFB) of followers by focusing on the mediating roles of leader–member exchange (LMX) and work-to-family enrichment (WFE) and the moderating role of traditionality in China.Design/methodology/approachData were collected using field survey research design. Participants included 206 employees in a pharmaceutical company in China.FindingsThe results indicate that LMX and WFE sequentially mediated the positive relationship between authentic leadership and WFB. In addition, traditionality strengthened the relationship between authentic leadership and LMX.Research limitations/implicationsThis study contributes to the integration of authentic leadership literature and the WFB model. This research also indicates that authentic leadership is a source of enhancing employees’ WFB. However, data are correlational and cross-sectional, which limits the ability to draw causal relationships.Practical implicationsThe findings reveal that authentic leadership is effective in inducing followers’ WFB. The value of traditionality can strengthen the effect of authentic leadership.Originality/valueThis study addresses unexplored theoretical predictions and provides new directions for authentic leadership and work–family research.

Nonstandard Work Hours and Single Versus Coupled Mothers' Work‐to‐Family Conflict

ObjectiveTo compare single and coupled mothers' experiences of time‐based work‐to‐family conflict (WFC) and work‐to‐family positive affective spillover (PAS) in the context of maternal nonstandard work hours.BackgroundDespite having become one of the central topics of work–family research, studies examining the relationship of maternal work schedules and family roles have mainly focused on North American samples or dual‐earner families. Although qualitative studies have highlighted the problems faced by European single mothers in relation to the combination of nonstandard work hours and family life, there are no quantitative or cross‐national comparative studies on the association.MethodUsing a convenience sample derived from the Families 24/7 survey of Finnish, Dutch, and British mothers with children 12 years of age or younger (N = 1,106), path analysis was carried out to assess the associations of single motherhood, nonstandard work hours, and their interaction with WFC and PAS and to compare the associations between 3 countries.ResultsThe positive association between the amount of nonstandard work hours and WFC was found to be stronger among single mothers than coupled mothers in all 3 countries. However, in Finland, both single and coupled mothers, and in the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, only single mothers, experienced higher WFC when the mother worked more during nonstandard hours. In all countries, single mothers experienced less PAS than coupled mothers.ConclusionDutch and British single mothers who work nonstandard hours experience the combination of multiple roles particularly challenging compared with coupled mothers. In Finland, both single and coupled mothers report high levels of WFC when they work more nonstandard hours; hence, a greater amount of work during nonstandard hours is not an automatic indication of heightened challenges for single mothers alone.ImplicationsWhen aiming to improve mothers' work–family reconciliation via social and workplace policies, it is important to understand the circumstances of single and coupled mothers in different cultural contexts.

Measuring School–Family Conflict and Enrichment in University Student Parents: A Measurement Validation Study

The purpose of this study was to extend work–family research to the school–family context by adapting Carlson and colleagues’ Work–Family Conflict and Enrichment scales. Using two samples of student parents primarily from Canadian universities, the adapted scales were assessed for reliability, construct validity, and factor structure. The measures had three factors for school–family conflict (school-to-family conflict, behaviour-based conflict, and family-to-school conflict) and five for school–family enrichment (school-to-family growth and affect; and family-to-school development, affect, and efficiency). The two adapted scales were confirmed to be reliable and valid for use with university student parents. Data from the confirmatory factor analysis provided strong support for the factor structure of the School–Family Enrichment Scale, but suggested that additional testing and development of the School–Family Conflict Scale may be required.

Workplace support of fathers’ parental leave use in Norway

ABSTRACTThis article highlights the importance of social policy and working life contexts for employed fathers’ use of parental leave. It directs attention towards the Norwegian model, which is known for its gender equality aims and welfare-state support to families, but which is also active in the regulation of working life. Based on interviews with fathers who have used the father’s quota (a statutory, earmarked, non-transferable leave), findings run counter to work–family research where gendered assumptions in work organizations are found to prevent active fathering. The interviewed fathers report positive attitudes and supportive practices among employers. Fathers’ stories show that their use of the leave is subject to cooperation and compromising processes at the workplace level that research on fatherhood and organizations have hardly addressed.

Gender differences in the quality of leisure: a cross-national comparison

ABSTRACT Considerable work-family research has investigated the gendered division of work and care. Gender differences in leisure time have received much less attention from work-family scholars, despite the potential importance of such inequalities for women’s quality of life. Combining key insights from the substantial gendered leisure studies literature with work-family scholarship, the current study examines cross-national variation in gender differences in leisure quality. Using data on 23 countries from the 2007 International Social Survey Program, we expected that women’s leisure quality would be lower than men’s, but the gender gap would be smaller in countries with more gender egalitarian attitudes and divisions of care (via de-familialisation and paternity leave) and where women have more bargaining power. Our results show that these country characteristics moderate the association between gender and the extent to which free time is used to relax and recover. In countries with conservative gender norms, low levels of childcare coverage, limited paternity leave and lower political power for women, women’s leisure quality is lower than men’s. In more egalitarian countries, the gender gap in leisure quality is lower and in some cases, reversed. These results are in line with findings from cross-national research on the gendered division of labor and offer an important contribution to understanding gender differences in leisure quality across countries.

Birth Cohort and Economic Period Differences in Work-Family and their Health Implications

The work-family interface research has focused almost exclusively on within- individual and within-organization variables. The goal of this article was to explore the role of two contextual variables, birth cohort and the economic environment, on both positive and negative work-family experiences of individuals, and in turn, the effect of these work-family experiences on physical and psychological health outcomes of individuals. Using two samples from the National Survey of Midlife Development in the United States (MIDUS) from 1995 (N = 1,545) and 2013 (N = 625) we are able to differentiate the effects of age, birth cohort, and economic period on work-family experiences of individuals and in turn, the effect of work-family experiences on six indicators of physiological and psychological health. Results indicate that the economic environment plays a strong role in work-family experiences of individuals while birth cohorts play little to no role in work-family experiences. Work-family experiences are associated with both physical and psychological health indicators. The results demonstrate the importance of context in individuals’ work-family experiences and the importance of work-family experiences in individual’s health.

Development and Validation of a Measure of Work-Family Supportive Coworker Behaviors

This study builds upon recent qualitative work-family (WF) research by developing and providing initial validation of a measure of work-family supportive coworker behaviors (WFSCB). The factor structure and correlates of the WFSCB measure were investigated in two studies. Findings from two exploratory factor analyses and one confirmatory factor analysis revealed that WFSCB is best represented by four dimensions including: emotional support, facilitating work adjustments, sharing resources and knowledge, and proactively developing solutions, all of which demonstrated adequate internal consistency. Results of a hierarchical regression analysis (N = 502 employees) provided preliminary evidence suggesting that WFSCB can significantly reduce work-to-family conflict, and improve WF balance, WF positive spillover, and life satisfaction. The utility of WFSCB as a source of informal workplace support was underscored based on evidence of its incremental validity in the prediction of these outcome variables over and...

A Multi-Level Model of Family Demands Diversity, Team Work-Family Conflict, and Employee Effort

Most of the work-family research has been conducted at the individual level of analysis. Our study is one of the first to examine the construct of team work-family conflict that refers to the colle...

Sarah De Groof: Work-Life Balance in the Modern Workplace. Interdisciplinary Perspectives From Work-Family Research, Law and Policy

-----Bibliographie: Fuchs, Gesine: Sarah De Groof: Work-Life Balance in the Modern Workplace. Interdisciplinary Perspectives From Work-Family Research, Law and Policy, Femina Politica, 1-2018, S. 173-175. https://doi.org/10.3224/feminapolitica.v27i1.25

Perceived organizational support and employee well-being

PurposeConsidering work and family responsibility has become an important issue due to changes in the lives of people, understanding work and family responsibilities is essential for organizations in assisting employees to increase their well-being. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to find the impact of perceived organizational support (POS) on work–family facilitation (WFF) and work–family conflict (WFC) and eventually on employee well-being.Design/methodology/approachA survey questionnaire is administered to 1,340 employees of Chinese enterprises. Structural equation modeling is used to test the model fit.FindingsResults of this study indicate a significant positive relationship between POS and WFF and significant negative relation between POS and WFC. Results of this paper also indicate that WFF and WFC partially mediate the relationship between POS and employee well-being.Originality/valueOver the past two decades, the extent of research on work–family literature has been increased. Most of the work–family research works have been conducted in the Western countries. Very little is known about whether these results are applicable to Eastern societies. This study is extended to focus on work–family literature by drawing a sample from different regions of China. The findings of this study may provide a good understanding of WFC and WFF for Chinese employees. This study stresses the importance of providing organizational support to increase the well-being of employees.

Sole Mothers in the Workforce: A Systematic Review and Agenda for Future Work–Family Research

AbstractSole mothers potentially experience greater difficulties in meeting the challenges of combining employment and family than do partnered mothers, although there is remarkably little research on the work–family interface of sole mothers. A systematic review of quantitative literature on employed mothers is presented in this article to provide a case for further research on sole employed mothers, in particular for more comparative studies with partnered mothers. Conservation‐of‐resources theory is proposed as a theoretical framework for exploring these differences, research propositions are offered, and the implications of future research are discussed.

Working, Parenting and Work-Home Spillover: Gender Differences in the Work-Home Interface across the Life Course.

In this study, we bring a life course approach to work-family research and ask how work-home spillover changes as men and women move through different parenting stages. We use two waves of the Mid-Life in the United States Study (MIDUS I and II, 1996-2004, N=1,319) and estimate change-score models to document the association between five parenting transitions (becoming a parent, starting to parent a school-aged child, an adolescent, young adult, or adult child) and changes in both positive and negative work-to-home (WHS) and home-to-work (HWS) spillover, testing for gender differences in these associations. We find that moving through parenting stages is related to within-person changes in reports of work-home spillover, and that mothers and fathers encounter changes in spillover at different points in the life course. Our findings detail how transitions through parenthood produce a gendered life course, and speaks to the need for policies to support working parents throughout the life course.

Mechanisms linking acculturation, work–family conflict, and subjective well‐being among Chinese immigrants in New Zealand

AbstractWork–family conflict (WFC) research has focused almost exclusively on nonimmigrant populations. To expand the understanding of WFC among immigrants, this longitudinal study (six‐month time lag) aimed to investigate the mechanisms linking acculturation, strain‐based WFC, and subjective well‐being. In order to do this, two theory‐based mediation models were developed and tested on a sample of 264 Chinese immigrants working in New Zealand using structural equation modeling. Results show that subjective well‐being mediated the effect of acculturation on strain‐based WFC, and acculturation did not directly influence strain‐based WFC. Furthermore, evidence was found for reciprocal relationships between strain‐based WFC and subjective well‐being, as well as for the same‐domain perspective. Strain‐based work interfering with family and strain‐based family interfering with work (two directions of strain‐based WFC) have significant effects on work‐related and family‐related well‐being, respectively, and vice versa. Overall, the present study provides an appropriate platform for future work–family research on immigrant populations and offers practical prescriptions for human resource managers to operate successfully within a diverse workplace.

Call Me Daddy: How Professional/Managerial Men Craft and Enact Their Fatherhood Identities

Historically, the thrust of work-family research has focused on women’s challenges with managing their career versus family identities. However, men are now struggling to make sense of what it means to be a father, and meet the conflicting demands of being breadwinners and nurturing fathers. In this study, we investigate how men envision and enact their fatherhood identities through interviews with five first-time expectant fathers and five new fathers who work in professional/managerial careers. We uncover a variety of fatherhood role ideologies, fatherhood identities, and several organizational factors that help or hinder men’s ability to successfully combine career and family.

Work-family conflict among Hindu mothers in South Africa

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to understand the interplay between cultural values and work-family conflict (WFC) among Hindu mothers in South Africa (SA).Design/methodology/approachIn total, 20 Hindu mothers in full-time paid employment participated in individual in-depth interviews. The authors used thematic analysis to analyze the interview transcripts.FindingsThree themes emerged from the participants’ work-family narratives: a strong collective identity in relation to family, traditional gender beliefs, and family deference. These themes reflect core Hindu cultural values and demonstrate that culture helps shape perceptions of WFC.Research limitations/implicationsThe results highlight the importance of considering cultural values in work-family research and contribute to the limited knowledge on work-family experiences among ethnic minority groups, particularly in diaspora communities.Practical implicationsThe findings should assist managers in designing work-family initiatives that will help alleviate the WFC experienced by mothers from ethnic minority groups.Social implicationsUnderstanding the work-family dynamics of mothers from ethnic minority groups facilitates the development of effective family-friendly policies, which may encourage them to enter and remain in the world of work. Such developments will help improve the skewed representation of previously disadvantaged groups in the workplace and promote the social transformation of South African society.Originality/valueThis study is one of very few that has explored cultural values and WFC among mothers from an ethnic minority group in a diaspora community. It contributes to the limited body of culture-sensitive work-family literature and establishes a base for further research on the topic.