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Job characteristics are important to work-family conflict (WFC). Additionally, is well established that WFC has a negative impact on mental health. As such, this research aims to examine the role of WFC as a mechanism that explains the relationship between job characteristics (i.e., those establishing by the Job Demands-Control-Support Model) and workers’ mental health. Moreover, based on gender inequalities in work and non-work roles, this study analyzed gender as moderator of this mediation. Specifically, the relationship between job characteristics and WFC and the relationship between WFC and mental health could be stronger for women than for men. With a sample of 254 workers from a Portuguese services company, (61% males), and based on a multiple-group analysis, the results indicated that the WFC mediates the relationship between job characteristics (i.e., job demands and job control) and mental health. It was reinforced that job demands and lack of control could contribute to employees’ stress and, once individual’ energy was drained, the WFC could emerge. Ultimately, may be due to the presence of this conflict that individuals mental health’ is negatively affected. Contrary to our expectations, this relationship is not conditioned by gender (Z-scores were non-significant). The study results have implications for human resource management, enhancing the knowledge on the relationship between the WFC and workers’ mental health.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to compare part-time and full-time employees, analyzing the relationship between job characteristics and workplace well-being (i.e. burnout and engagement) and the mediating role of the work-to-life conflict with a sample of 736 employees from 14 Portuguese call center companies. Design/methodology/approach The hypotheses were tested with multiple group analysis on two samples: part-time and full-time employees. Findings The results confirm that in both the part-time and full-time subsamples employees’ perceptions of job characteristics are related to their well-being, and the work-to-life conflict partially mediates this relationship. Moreover, the study confirms that the relationship between employees’ perceptions of job demands and the work-to-life conflict and between the work-to-life conflict and workplace well-being were stronger for full-time than for part-time employees. Research limitations/implications The co-relational and cross-sectional design should be regarded as limitations. Moreover, each variable was only assessed with self-reported measures, and the sample comprised call center employees from only one country (Portugal), which may constrain the generalization of these results. Practical implications Part-time work is a good solution in order to prevent the work-to-life conflict. Furthermore, a reduced workload and time pressure, enhanced decision latitude and supervisory support appear to be crucial work characteristics for employees juggling their work with other roles and in the promotion of well-being at work. Originality/value This research study provides evidence that the traditional vision of the work-family conflict requires a broader conceptualization by considering the interference between life roles, particularly in the case of full-time young employees.

According to the self-determination theory, when people have autonomous motivations, they show more interest and enthusiasm, which is manifested in their attitudes toward work. With a sample of 196 temporary agency workers (TAW), our main goal was to analyze over time and through structural equation models the relationships between motivations for being TAW (i.e., autonomous and controlled motivations) and work well-being (i.e., work engagement and burnout). In general, and according to what was predicted by self-determination theory, the results provide support for the importance of autonomous motivations for being TAW because they contribute to increasing work engagement over time. However, contrary to what was expected, both autonomous and controlled motivations seemed not to contribute to reducing or increasing, respectively, burnout over time. Surprisingly, the cross-lagged relationship between controlled motivations and work engagement was also nonsignificant. The practical implications of these findings for the management of temporary agency workers are discussed.