COVID-19 and Work–Family Conflicts in Germany: Risks and Chances Across Gender and Parenthood

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically affected everyone’s daily life in one way or another, requiring a re-negotiation of existing strategies for work–life integration, not only for individuals but also within families and partnerships. To contribute to existing knowledge on work-life integration during COVID-19 in Germany, we look at gender and parenthood differences in the experiences of work-to-family (WFC) and family-to-work (FWC) conflicts. By accounting for employees’ previous conflict experiences, we were able to reveal the extent to which the current conditions contributed to differences in these conflicts. Moreover, we explored the relevance of demands and resources in the family and work spheres as a way to explain different levels of WFC and FWC across gender and parenthood. Our analyses are based on a sample of 660 employees from a German linked employer–employee panel study and a COVID-19 follow-up survey conducted in late 2020. Results revealed that work–family conflict experiences before the pandemic play an important role in current conflict perceptions. Whereas WFC were more likely to be accentuated during the pandemic, prior FWC experiences may have helped to mitigate conflicts under these new conditions. Work–family conflicts in general have increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, but this finding applied only to conflicts in the family-to-work direction. Although such increases were not limited to parents, they were particularly high in this group. Overall, gender differences in work–family conflicts were absent, but differences were found between mothers and fathers. The need to compensate for a lack of external childcare, as well as having to work from home, increased FWC, especially among fathers. This study suggests that FWC in particular became more important during the pandemic; however, parents were not the only ones who were disadvantaged when it came to work–life integration; childless individuals likewise struggled to balance the demands of work and private life.

Associations of Work-Family Conflict with Family-Specific, Work-Specific, and Well-Being-Related Variables in a Sample of Polish and Ukrainian Adults during the Second Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…The COVID-19 pandemic also changed the overall work organization and arrangements, accelerating and disrupting various trends in the work area [ 17 ]. In particular, many schools and workplaces were closed during the lockdown, so stationary work was changed to remote online, and working parents were forced to divide their time between caring for children and teleworking [ 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 ]. Experts assumed the transition to telework was one of the essential issues for occupational health during the COVID-19 pandemic [ 26 ].…”

“…Based on previous literature [ 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 ], we assume that changes in lifestyle during the COVID-19 pandemic were stressful events that contributed to the work-family imbalance, leading to high WFC and FWC [ 16 ]. We will examine the differences in WFC, FWC, well-being dimensions, and time pressure across countries, genders, relationship status, parenthood experience, caring for children under 12, and type of work (stationary vs. remote).…”

“…We will examine the differences in WFC, FWC, well-being dimensions, and time pressure across countries, genders, relationship status, parenthood experience, caring for children under 12, and type of work (stationary vs. remote). We hypothesize that higher CWF and worse well-being will be presented in Poland than in Ukraine regarding the individualism-collectivism dimension [ 12 , 13 ], among teleworkers [ 20 , 21 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 ], women [ 16 , 19 , 23 , 24 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 ], coupled individuals, and those having children [ 16 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 ]. Inter-group differences in time pressure will be explored for the first time in this study.…”

Self-reported mental well-being of mothers with young children during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany: A mixed-methods study

“…Based on this development, we have identified three sets of determinants as potential resources and stressors for the mental health of women with young children during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic that also emerged in above-cited research: the work domain, psychosocial resources, and partnership and family-related aspects. 23 , 28 – 33 …”

How Work-Family Conflict Influenced the Safety Performance of Subway Employees during the Initial COVID-19 Pandemic: Testing a Chained Mediation Model

“…Because subway workers had to continue working during the pandemic, for preventive purposes, they had to work under additional restrictions on personal contact and quarantine, which could have undermined their fulfilment of family responsibilities. It has been shown that work-family conflict generally increased during the COVID-19 pandemic [ 12 ]. A survey revealed that 92% of frontline nurses showed “little concern” for their families amid the pandemic [ 13 ].…”