Social support as a moderator of the relationship between work family conflict and family satisfaction

Abstract

This study examines the role of social support in the relationship between work family conflict (work to family; WFC & family to work; FWC) and family satisfaction for private sector employees. Using simple random sampling, data were collected from 260 employees from eight private companies in Terengganu, who responded to the Job Content Questionnaire, Work Family Conflict Scale and Family Satisfaction Scale. Results indicate that both WFC and FWC had significant relationships with family satisfaction. The results of the regression analysis confirmed that FWC was a significant predictor of employees' family satisfaction. However, social support did not buffer the relationship between work family conflict and family satisfaction. Implication of this study indicates that the organizations need to emphasize the effective strategies of development and implementation for work family balance in improving family satisfaction among employees. The suggestions for future research are also addressed, especially in the Malaysian context.

Does gender exacerbate the effect of Work-family conflict on employee Satisfaction in the hotel industry?

“…This finding implies that individuals experiencing WIF or FIW will consequently witness WFC which is situated in the domain specificity theory of one role domain inhibiting another role domain thus, making it unattainable to meet the demands of the latter role. Thus, buttressing the point that WFC is bi-directional Beutell, 2010;Kinnunen, Feldt, Mauno, & Rantanen, 2010;Aslam, Shumiala, Azhar, & Sadaqat, 2011;Allen, Johnson, Kiburz, & Shockley, 2013;Jamaludin, Ibrahim, & Dagang, 2018;Tsaur & Yen, 2018).…”

“…Work-family interference represents the ability of workplace issues and roles to interfere with family roles and responsibilities of an individual. This dimension of the WFC has also been described as taking work home (Jamaludin, Ibrahim, & Dagang, 2018;Tsaur & Yen, 2018;Aslam, Shumiala, Azhar, & Sadaqat, 2011;Ahmad, 2008), describing the situation where the work duties of an individual are capable of creating some kind of conflict in the family domain as both demands struggle over the finite time and energy at the disposal of the individual, resulting in work-family interference that ultimately results in work-family conflict. In contrast, when there is a disturbance in the work-life of an individual as a result of fulfilling family demands, there is a creation of Family-Work Interference (FIW) .…”

Work-Family Conflict and Family Satisfaction: Evidence From Small Enterprise Managers

“…The findings showed that family-to-work conflict was negatively correlated with family satisfaction. In another study, Jamaludin et al (2018) examined the relationship between work-family conflict and job satisfaction among employees of private companies in Malaysia. The results indicated that family-to-work conflict and work-to-family conflict had a significant negative relationship with family satisfaction.…”

“…This indicates that when employees ensure a balance between work and family responsibilities, it enhances family satisfaction. Jamaludin et al (2018) carried out a cross-sectional survey among private-sector employees in Malaysia. The purpose of the study was to investigate the relationship between work-family conflicts and family satisfaction with a moderating role of social support.…”

“…In literature, there have been few studies examining the relationship between the work-family with family satisfaction (Kopelman et al, 1983;Aryee et al, 1999). Some studies have used different approaches to describe family satisfaction such as marital and family role satisfaction (Jamaludin et al, 2018) and this makes it difficult for context-specific policy-making. Other researchers conclude that cognitive dysfunction and lack of time for work and family would generate adverse effects on family satisfaction (Karatepe & Sokmen, 2006;Turliuc & Buliga, 2014).…”