scholarly journals Beyond Formal Access: Organizational Context, Working From Home, and Work–Family Conflict of Men and Women in European Workplaces

2018 ◽  
Vol 151 (2) ◽  
pp. 383-402 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tanja van der Lippe ◽  
Zoltán Lippényi

AbstractWorking from home has become engraved in modern working life. Although advocated as a solution to combine work with family life, surprisingly little empirical evidence supports that it decreases work–family conflict. In this paper we examine the role of a supportive organizational context in making working from home facilitate the combination of work and family. Specifically, we address to what extent perceptions of managerial support, ideal worker culture, as well as the number of colleagues working from home influence how working from home relates to work–family conflict. By providing insight in the role of the organizational context, we move beyond existing research in its individualistic focus on the experience of the work–family interface. We explicitly address gender differences since women experience more work–family conflict than men. We use a unique, multilevel organizational survey, the European Sustainable Workforce Survey conducted in 259 organizations, 869 teams and 11,011 employees in nine countries (Bulgaria, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom). Results show that an ideal worker culture amplifies the increase in work family conflict due to working from home, but equally for men and women. On the other hand, women are more sensitive to the proportion of colleagues working from home, and the more colleagues are working from home the less conflict they experience.

2020 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 621-641
Author(s):  
Luka Jurković

Juggling the responsibilities of work and family domains has become a part of everyday life for most working adults. Research has shown that work-family conflict can potentially have negative effects on general well-being, health, relationship quality and job satisfaction. However, the potential effects of work-family conflict on sexual well-being of working adults is presently unknown. The primary aim of this study is to analyze the association between two directions of work-family conflict (work-to-family conflict – WIF, and family-to-work conflict – FIW) and sexual well-being among working adults, while taking into account the mediating role of relationship satisfaction. Data was collected in an online survey on a sample of 584 Croatian men and women that are currently living with a partner. The data was analyzed within a structural equations modelling framework. The analyses show that WIF conflict was negatively associated with sexual well-being, but only among women. On the other hand, relationship satisfaction mediated the relationship between FIW conflict and sexual well-being for both men and women. This study contributes to sparse and inconsistent knowledge on the relationship between work- -family conflict and sexual well-being among working adults.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kenneth J. Harris ◽  
Ranida B. Harris ◽  
Matthew Valle ◽  
John Carlson ◽  
Dawn S. Carlson ◽  
...  

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to understand the impact of techno-overload and techno-invasion on work and family. Specifically, we focus on intention to turnover in the work domain, work-family conflict in the work-family domain, and family burnout in the family domain. Furthermore, this study examines the moderating role of entitlement, a personality variable, in this process.Design/methodology/approachUsing a sample of 253 people who were using technology to complete their work over two time periods, the relationships were examined using hierarchical moderated regression analysis.FindingsThe results revealed that both techno-overload and techno-invasion were significantly related to greater turnover intentions, higher work-family conflict, and greater family burnout. In addition, entitlement played a moderating role such that those who were higher in entitlement had stronger techno-overload-outcome and technostress invasion-outcome relationships.Practical implicationsThese findings may provide managers key insights to help manage employees, especially those with an inflated sense of entitlement, to mitigate the serious negative outcomes associated with techno-overload and techno-invasion. In particular, both techno- overload and techno-invasion had minimal impact on negative outcomes when employee entitlement was lower. However, when employee entitlement was higher, techno-overload and techno-invasion had considerable negative effects.Originality/valueDue to the ubiquitous nature of information-communication technology (ICT) in organizations today, individuals often experience techno-overload and techno-invasion. This research utilized conservation of resources theory to examine these relationships. This study established the relationships of both techno-overload and techno-invasion with key organizational and family outcomes and points to the critical role of the personality variable, entitlement, in this process. The results provide theoretical and practical advancement in the role of technology with people in organizations today.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Weihe Li ◽  
Hanying Tang ◽  
Hongyu Ma ◽  
Jing Zhang ◽  
Nan Zhang

PurposeThis study introduced a focus on work flexibility-worry and intended to test whether work flexibility-worry would weaken the strengthening power of work flexibility-willingness on the relationship between work flexibility-ability and work–family conflict from the perspective of person–situation interaction.Design/methodology/approachParticipants were 924 employees recruited by the snowballing technique. They completed questionnaires about demographics and work flexibility. Multivariate stepwise regression was used to analyze the collected data.FindingsResults showed that work flexibility-ability can reduce work-to-family conflict. However, this effect is most pronounced only among individuals with a high work flexibility-willingness who simultaneously experience low work flexibility-worry.Practical implicationsFor organizations that want to provide work flexibility benefits to employees, they should not only pay attention to employees' personal preference for work flexibility but also create a climate in which all employees are allowed to use the flexibility supply without criticism from coworkers and without impacting organizational evaluations, which can benefit employees' functioning in both their work and family roles.Originality/valueThis study clarified the joint role of willingness and worry in predicting the extent to which work flexibility-ability reduces work–family conflict, which helps organizations to better understand the conditions under which work flexibility can better reduce work–family conflict.


2014 ◽  
Vol 39 (2) ◽  
pp. 21-30 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mousumi Padhi ◽  
Snigdha Pattnaik

Demographic changes have had a catalytic effect on the number of people participating in multiple roles and juggling them as they go through various life functions. Two of the major domains where these roles are based are work and family. This study draws on Person-environment fit theory to understand to what extent congruence between an individual and her⁄his environment affects her⁄his experience of work-family interface. Through this, the study seeks to capture the cognitive appraisal process by which work and family experiences can exacerbate work-family conflict (WFC) and enhance work-family enrichment (WFE). This study is an attempt to respond to calls by researchers to look at the process of cognitive appraisal and congruence which have largely been ignored in work-family literature. These processes could help understand why given the same situation and environmental contexts, individuals might differ in their work-family experiences. Congruence, measured at two levels — congruence and incongruence — has been taken as the independent variable in the study. The different measures of work-family conflict and work-family enrichment have been taken as the dependent variables. Responses in the study were drawn from software professionals working in IT organizations. It was found that the incongruent individuals reported significantly higher levels of work-family conflict on all the dimensions of conflict as compared to the congruent individuals. In contrast, when it came to work-family enrichment, congruent individuals reported significantly higher levels of enrichment on all the dimensions as compared to incongruent individuals. By capturing the role of cognitive appraisal on work-family interface, the study contributes theoretically and empirically to the extant literature on work and family. As organizations across sectors are taking steps to promote work-life harmony, the finding that congruence leads to greater work-family enrichment and incongruence leads to greater work-family conflict has important practical implications for the formulation of work-family policies.


2008 ◽  
Vol 63 (1) ◽  
pp. 108-133 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rosaria Burchielli ◽  
Timothy Bartram ◽  
Rani Thanacoody

This paper re-examines the concept of work-family balance by analyzing qualitative data from interviews conducted with Australian senior female staff and managers at a major metropolitan bank and a large, regional hospital. Extant research suggests that managers and staff in senior roles, who have greater autonomy and discretion than other employees, are better able to balance their work and family demands. This paper finds evidence for work-family conflict among participants, who perceive they have “no balance” and must make many personal sacrifices to meet the conflicting demands of work and family. Our findings are confronted with the greedy institutions framework which provides a suitable metaphor to understand the role of organizations in supporting the dual demands of work-family.


Author(s):  
Brad Harrington ◽  
Beth Humberd ◽  
Fred van Deusen

Recent research shows that most fathers today seek roles that are much more integrated and engaged with the lives of their families than fathers in previous generations. However, society in general, and workplaces in particular, have been slow to adapt to these new fatherhood roles. This situation causes increased work–family conflict for fathers and leaves them in a situation in which their aspirations are often inconsistent with their realities. Although these changes are beginning to be noted, existing research in the work–family field has focused much more on the issues women face in integrating work and family than it has on the issues facing men. This predominantly gendered approach to work and family integration has a number of deleterious effects on both men and women, and also inhibits moving this critical conversation forward. This chapter reviews the current state of research on work–family issues for men and suggests areas for additional research.


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