In Search of Balance: A Conceptual and Empirical Integration of Multiple Meanings of Work-Family Balance

Role of Work and Family Factors in Predicting Career Satisfaction and Life Success

The mediating roles of work-family balance, job satisfaction and family satisfaction in work-family dynamics research has not been explored fully to delineate their probable intervening effects. Using spillover theory as the basis, the current study tests a model to identify the role of these factors in work-family conflict (and work-role ambiguity), career satisfaction and perception of life success. Responses obtained through an online survey from a final sample of 344 academic faculty, across different educational institutions in India, tend to suggest that work-family balance mediated work-family conflict and its potential influence on life success as well as career satisfaction, and also the relationship between work-role ambiguity and both life success and career satisfaction. While job satisfaction also showed similar results except for non-significant mediation between work-role ambiguity and life success, family satisfaction mediated only between work role ambiguity and life success. The importance of job satisfaction and work-family balance is highlighted in the context of reducing the negative impact of work-family conflict and work-role ambiguity on one's career and life satisfaction. Results and their practical and theoretical implications, and future directions of research to further our understanding of work-family dynamics, etc., are discussed.

Should I Stay or Should I Go? The Role of Motivational Climate and Work-Home Spillover for Turnover Intentions

Emerging trends in the workforce point to the necessity of facilitating work lives that foster constructive and balanced relationships between professional and private spheres in order to retain employees. Drawing on the conservation of resources theory, we propose that motivational climate influences turnover intention through the facilitation of work-home spillover. Specifically, we argue that employees working in a perceived mastery climate are less likely to consider voluntarily leaving their employer because of increased positive-and reduced negative-work-home spillover experiences. We further argue that employees working in a perceived performance climate are more likely to consider voluntarily leaving their employer because of reduced positive-and increased negative-work-home spillover experiences. In a cross-lagged survey of 1074 employees in a Norwegian financial-sector organization, we found that work-home spillover partly mediates the relationship between a perceived motivational climate and turnover intention. Specifically, mastery climates seem to facilitate positive-and reduce negative-spillover between the professional and private spheres, which in turn decreases employees' turnover intention. Contrary to our expectations, a perceived performance climate slightly increased both positive and negative work-home spillover, however increasing employees' turnover intention. We discuss implications for practice and future research.

The Association Between Coworker Support and Work-Family Interference: A Test of Work Environment and Burnout as Mediators

Coworker support has been hypothesized to enhance work-life outcomes. However, the mechanisms underlying this association are unclear. Two studies examined how coworker support predicted work-life outcomes through positive work environment and burnout. It was hypothesized that coworker support enhances work environment, and that better work environment is associated with less burnout; in turn, reduced burnout is associated with less negative work-life interference. In two large studies of working adults (total N = 5,666), we found support for our model – coworker support predicted work-family outcomes and this association was mediated by more positive work environments and reduced burnout. Study 2 was a short-term lagged confirmation of the model. Results are discussed in the context of efforts to improve workplace climate, reduce turnover, and improve workers’ job satisfaction.

How Are We Testing Interactions in Latent Variable Models? Surging Forward or Fighting Shy?

Latent variable models and interaction effects have both been common in the organizational sciences for some time. Methods for incorporating interactions into latent variable models have existed since at least Kenny and Judd, and a great many articles and books have developed these methods further. In the present article, we present an empirical review of the methods that organizational science investigators use to test their interaction hypotheses. We show that it is very common for investigators to use fully latent methods to test additive portions of their models, but to abandon such methods when testing the multiplicative portions of their models. By contrast, investigators whose models do not contain interactions tend to stick with fully latent methods throughout. As there is little rational basis for this pattern, it is likely due to continued discomfort regarding the proper application of existing fully latent methods. Thus, we end by offering R code that implements some of the more sophisticated fully latent approaches, and by offering a sequence of decisions that investigators can follow in order to choose the best analytic approach.

Predicting Work-Family Balance: A New Perspective on Person-Environment Fit

Work–family balance continues to be a burgeoning topic of organizational research, yet, while the various antecedents of work–family balance have been identified, researchers have, to date, neglected the effect of congruence versus incongruence with regard to work–family integration preferences and the corresponding supplies at work. The current research investigates whether work–family integration preferences and organizational supplies jointly affect work–family balance, and the distal family–related outcomes including marital satisfaction and family functioning, from a person–environment fit perspective. Polynomial regression analysis and response surface methodology are used to test the study’s hypotheses. Results of the polynomial regressions on 393 employees are found to support the congruence effect hypotheses. In particular, the results show that employee work–family balance is higher when work–family integration preferences and organizational supplies are congruent, as opposed to incongruent. An individual’s balance is higher when preferences and supplies are aligned at higher levels rather than at lower levels. In addition, the asymmetrical shape of the surface along the incongruence line indicated that an employee’s work–family balance tends to be damaged once organizational supplies exceed personal preferences. Moreover, through creating a block variable based on the five polynomial terms, we found that congruence/incongruence in respect of work–family integration preferences and supplies yields distal effects on both family functioning and marital satisfaction. Our findings support our hypotheses and are also in line with both person–environment fit theory and balance theory. Theoretical and practical implications for keeping work-family balance are also discussed.

Workplace telepressure and work-life balance outcomes: The role of work recovery experiences

Workplace technology has posed some challenges to worker well-being. This research examined how workplace telepressure-a preoccupation and urge to respond quickly to message-based communications-is related to work life balance evaluations, as well as how work recovery experiences might explain this relationship. Using an online survey design, Study 1 (N = 254) and Study 2 (N = 409) demonstrated that employees' workplace telepressure negatively related to satisfaction with work-life balance. Study 1 showed that psychological detachment may explain the relationship between workplace telepressure and satisfaction with work-life balance. In Study 2, psychological detachment and control over leisure time explained the relationship between workplace telepressure and global evaluations of work-life balance (satisfaction and effectiveness). Mastery and control experiences explained the relationship between workplace telepressure and work-family enrichment. Lastly, three recovery mechanisms (detachment, relaxation, and control) explained the link between workplace telepressure and work-family conflict. The evidence suggests that workplace telepressure is negatively associated with various employee evaluations of work-life balance, but the role of recovery experiences may depend on how work-life balance is measured.

Committing to Work at the Expense of Other Life Pursuits: The Consequence of Individuals’ Relative Centrality of Work Across Job Types and Nations Differing in Performance Orientation

Relative centrality of work (RCW) is defined as the psychological importance given by individuals regarding work relative to the importance they attach to other major domains of living. Prior evidence has been inconclusive in terms of how RCW might influence the life satisfaction (LS) of individuals. Hence, in this study, we hypothesize that this relationship is regulated by an individual’s current job features (job complexity [JC]) and national culture concerning work (performance orientation [PO]) independently and jointly. On the basis of representative samples of 23,622 employees from 33 nations, we find that the RCW–LS relationship is negative when JC is low. By contrast, high JC eliminates but does not reverse this negative trend. This two-way interaction only exists when employees simultaneously live in a nation whose culture stresses performance improvements and achievement of rewards from work, that is, nations with high PO. Although an individual’s national–cultural context does not moderate the RCW–LS linkage, it functions by making work relative to other life domains (RCW) and job characteristics (high JC) highly important in deriving satisfaction from one’s life.

Exploring subjective career success using the Kaleidoscope Career Model

Orientation: Currently, the workplace consists of four different generations of employees, of which the youngest, Generation Y (Gen Y), will become more prevalent in the next few years. Therefore, attracting and retaining employees of this generation are essential for organisations.Research purpose: The aim of the present study was to investigate how Gen Y IT employees experience career success by using the Kaleidoscope Career Model (KCM) as an interpretive lens.Motivation for the study: Generation Y remains an understudied cohort with regard to perceptions of career success. Motivated by the potential value of constructing contexts, which promote career success among Gen Y, the KCM was used as a framework for exploring meanings associated with career success among this cohort.Research approach/design and method: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a purposive voluntary sample of 24 Gen Y IT employees. Data were analysed in a two-step process by, firstly, identifying elements associated with the central parameters of the KCM and, secondly, collating these to identify various sub-dimensions of each parameter, to identify associated meanings for subjective career success.Main findings: The findings describe more richly the needs for authenticity (i.e. making a difference or work as an enabler of lifestyle), balance (within time and over time) and challenge (i.e. career success implies growth/turning problems into opportunities or goal attainment as signifier of success) as means to experience career success, specifically expanding the description of balance, where employees try to maintain a work–life balance not only within but also over time (synchronic vs. diachronic balance).Practical/managerial implications: The findings have value for management and human resource practitioners with regard to the implementation of employment practices that will enhance perceptions of career success among Gen Y IT employees and the development of a supportive culture which underpin the latter.Contribution/value-add: This study adds to our knowledge of Gen Y’s perceptions of career success with particular emphasis on authenticity, balance and challenge. It furthermore contributes to career success literature by adding a career development lens to the latter.

Social Relationships and Turnover: A Multidisciplinary Review and Integration

Although there has been a notable increase in research on the effect of social relationships on turnover across different disciplines, including management, sociology, communication, applied psychology, corporate strategy, and economics over the past two decades, this stream of research has not been complied into a thorough and theoretically insightful review. In this article, we review and integrate the literature on social relationships and turnover by (a) defining social relationships broadly; (b) taking an interdisciplinary approach; (c) examining relational components embedded in turnover theories; (d) summarizing findings on the association between behavioral, structural, and psychological features of social relationships and turnover; (e) explaining how the findings can contribute to extant turnover theories; (f) discussing operationalizations of social relationships; (g) identifying limitations of prior research and theories; and (h) providing directions for future research. Our review charts what is known and unknown about the association between social relationships and turnover with the goal of laying out a path for moving forward.

Social media addiction and social media reactions: The implications for job performance

We investigate the intersection of social media and the workplace, focusing on job performance impacts of employees' social media addictions and social media reactions through work-family balance and burnout. The research model is grounded in conservation of resources theory, which suggests social media compulsions and emotional reactions to co-worker's social media posts will deplete employees' energetic and constructive resources, making it difficult to achieve work-family balance and increasing the likelihood of job burnout, and will ultimately degrade job performance. A sample of 326 full-time employees revealed a negative relationship between social media addiction and work-family balance and a positive relationship between social media reactions and job burnout. Balance and burnout mediated the relationship between social media and job performance such that social media addiction was negatively related to job performance through work-family balance, and social media reactions were negatively related to performance through burnout and work-family conflict.

Measuring of job satisfaction: the use of quality of work life factors

Purpose

Banking industry forms a part of financial services that has emerged itself as the most important source for India’s economic growth. Job satisfaction of employees is one of the important pre-requisites to ensure smooth functioning of banks. The purpose of this paper is to explore the association of job satisfaction with the quality of work life factors of bank employees (n=300), followed by the essential influential relationship of these concepts with socio-demographic characteristics, thereby, proving its own distinct contribution to the subsist body of literature.

Design/methodology/approach

This study has considered five private sector banks in India and has used the technique of multi-stage sampling to collect primary data. The respondents from different cadres, namely, executive, associate and manager involved in customer-oriented interactions participated in this survey. The analysis has been conducted by applying descriptive statistics, regression analysis (impact of the quality of work life factors on job satisfaction) and χ2 statistics (association of the quality of work life and job satisfaction with socio-demographic variables). The results have been compared with the Herzberg Theory of Job Satisfaction.

Findings

The results of the study show the presence of variance (R2 61.40 percent) in job satisfaction as explained by the quality of work life constructs. The unconducive work environment has confirmed negative association with job satisfaction. The study foresees to contribute useful information to the top management level in the organizations to enhance employees’ overall job satisfaction.

Research limitations/implications

The opaqueness with which the Indian banking industry has its roots and existence in India, the present study clearly has limits: the small size of the sample and the study considered only private sector banks.

Practical implications

A planned approach at organizational and individual level is highly recommended. The bank management must realize the importance of their devoted staff by giving them quality work environment. The initiatives like regular exercise routines can be adopted to reduce stress. Some respondents expressed the need for intercity branch associations, which can help them to solve common problems, better learning opportunities with an informal atmosphere along with other training sessions organized formally.

Originality/value

The paper gives a theoretical explanation of the quality of work life and job satisfaction factors in the Indian private banks falling under the umbrella of Indian banking industry with respect to the employees of private sector banks.

Gender Inequality in Household Chores and Work-Family Conflict

The fact that the permeability between family and work scopes produces work-family conflict (WFC) is well established. As such, this research aims to check whether the unequal involvement in household chores between men and women is associated with increased WFC in women and men, interpreting the results also from the knowledge that arise from gender studies. A correlational study was carried out by means a questionnaire applied to 515 subjects (63% men) of two independent samples of Spanish men and women without emotional relationship, who lived with their heterosexual partner. As expected, results firstly show unequal involvement in household chores by women and men as it is higher in women that in men, and the perception of partner involvement is lower in women that in men. Secondly, those unequal involvements relate differently to men and women on different ways of work-family interaction. They do not increase WFC in women comparing to men, although there are tangentially significant differences in work conflict (WC) and statistically significant in family conflict (FC). However, perception of partner involvement on household chores increases WFC both in men and in women but not WC nor FC. Nevertheless, increase on marital conflict (MC) by domestic tasks neither affect in a significant way WFC in women nor in men, but increase WC in both women and men and FC only in women. Results also confirm that subject involvement on household chores is not a significant predictor of WFC in women nor in men, and that MC by domestic tasks is a statistically significant predictor in women of WFC and FC, but not in men. Thus, results show that traditional gender roles still affect the way men and women manage the work and family interaction, although the increased WFC due to involvement in housework is not exclusive to women, but also occurs in men. Personal and institutional recommendations are made on the basis of these results to cope with these conflicts.

Lasting Impression: Transformational Leadership and Family Supportive Supervision as Resources for Well-being and Performance

Although evidence is growing in the occupational health field that supervisors are a critical influence on subordinates' reports of family supportive supervisor behaviors (FSSB), our understanding is limited regarding the antecedents of employee's FSSB perceptions and their lagged effects on future health and work outcomes. Drawing on a positive job resource perspective, we argue that supervisors who report that they use transformational leadership (TL) styles are more likely to have subordinates with higher FSSB perceptions. We theorize that these enhanced perceptions of work-family specific support increase access to personal and social resources (objectively and subjectively) that buffer work-nonwork demands and enhance health (mental, physical) and job outcomes (performance appraisal ratings, job satisfaction, turnover intentions, work-family conflict). Time-lagged multi-source survey data collected in a field study from retail employees and their supervisors and archival performance ratings data collected a year later support our proposed relationships (with the exception that for health, only mental health and not physical health was significant). Post hoc analyses showed that employees' FSSB perceptions play a mediating role between supervisor TL and job satisfaction and work-family conflict, but no other outcomes studied. Overall, this study answers calls in the occupational health literature to use stronger designs to determine linkages between leadership-related workplace phenomena as antecedents of health, work-family, and job outcomes. Our results demonstrate that employees with supervisors who report that they use transformational leadership styles are more likely to perceive higher levels of family supportive supervision, which are positive job resources that enhance occupational health.

Work-family culture within hospitals: An interdepartmental analysis of employee engagement and retention

BACKGROUND

Helping employees balance their work and family needs is increasingly pivotal for attracting, engaging, and retaining key talent in health care. Yet, emerging theory and anecdotal evidence suggest that, within organizations, there is considerable variation between departments or units regarding how employees' lives outside work are supported. Despite top management's efforts to develop a unified organizational work-family culture, departments have a tendency to take on their own culture, norms, and traditions such that some are more supportive than others.

PURPOSE

We investigate whether more positive work-family cultures improve functioning within hospital departments.

METHODOLOGY/APPROACH

We surveyed 680 hospital employees nested within 60 departments at a hospital located in the southeastern United States.

RESULTS

Departments with a more (vs. less) positive work-family culture tend to have higher levels of (a) employee engagement, (b) pride in their organization, (c) confidence in management and leadership, and (d) intention to remain with the organization. Our analyses were robust when splitting the sample between clinical (e.g., nurses and physicians) and nonclinical (e.g., office, clerical, and support services) roles.

CONCLUSION

Our study sheds further light on the importance of a positive work-family culture within hospitals. The key to instilling a positive, organization-wide work-family culture may be through a department-by-department focus.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Benefits of positive work-family cultures within departments can extend beyond job-related attitudes and can potentially enhance recruitment strategies, improve a hospital's external image to the public, and lead to improvements in patient care and more positive patient experiences.