Domain-specific and nonspecific outcomes of work-family interface. A study of Indian journalists

Pages127-142
DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1108/EBHRM-10-2017-0053
Date05 August 2019
Published date05 August 2019
AuthorAbha Bhalla,Lakhwinder Singh Kang
Subject MatterHR & organizational behaviour,Global HRM
Domain-specific and nonspecific
outcomes of work-family interface
A study of Indian journalists
Abha Bhalla
University Business School, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, India, and
Lakhwinder Singh Kang
Department of Commerce, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, India
Abstract
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the pattern of work-family interface outcomes by
empirically testing work-family conflict and facilitation bidirectional dimensions simultaneously in relation to
domains-specific (job and family) and domain nonspecific (life) satisfactions. In addition, the indirect effects of
work-family interface dimensions on life satisfaction (LS), mediated through both domain-specific
satisfactions are also examined to understand which domain satisfaction elicits major impact on LS.
Design/methodology/approach Structural equation modeling analysis was conducted on questionnaire
data obtained from 212 fulltime journalists working in top ten dailies of Punjab, India. Parallel multiple
mediated regression was used to estimate specific indirect effects caused by each of the two parallel mediators
(job satisfaction (JS) and family satisfaction ( FS)).
Findings Resultsillustrate that both dimensionsof work-family conflictstrongly decreased satisfactionof an
originatingdomain than satisfaction of the receivingdomain while both dimensions of work-familyfacilitation
increased satisfaction of both the domains onequal basis. Results further reveal that the effectof work-family
conflictand facilitation dimensionson LS is indirect rather thandirect. On comparison of specificindirect effects
results demonstrate that only originating domain satisfaction act as a mediator to work-familyconflict and LS
relationship, whileboth JS and FS act as mediators to work-family facilitation and LS relationship.
Practical implications Media organizations can offer interventions like family friendly policies, overtime
pay, more autonomy, work rewards and skill variety, so that employeesworkplace resource reservoir can be
strongly built up to meet future work and family demands. In this way, positive intrusion from work-to-family
takes place, which leads to more JS and FS and in turn increased overall LS.
Originality/value The study removes inconsistency regarding pattern of work-family conflict and
facilitation outcomes by testing a comprehensive model that integrates originating domain, receiving-domain
and domain-nonspecific outcomes.
Keywords Structural equation modelling, Jobsatisfaction, Life satisfaction,Work-family, Parallel mediation
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
There is a growing consensus among researchers that simultaneous examination of
negative and positive aspect of combining work and family roles provide a complete and
accurate picture of Work-Family Interface(Grzywacz and Marks, 2000; Bellavia and
Frone, 2005; Allen, 2013). The Work-family conflictis a widely accepted negative aspect of
work-family interface and is based on the scarcity hypothesis, which derives its strength
from the role strain theory (Kahn et al., 1964). Role strain theory states that people possess
scarce resources (such as time and energy) to expend to their life multiple roles and when
such resources are not allocated appropriately, it results in an inter-role conflict.
Work-family conflict has been defined as an individuals experience that work and family
roles are incompatible in some respect, as a result of which participation in one role becomes
difficult by virtue of participation in the other role(Greenhaus and Beutell, 1985, p. 77). On
the other hand, Work-family facilitationis considered as a positive aspect of work-family
interface and is based on the role accumulation theory (Sieber, 1974; Marks, 1977; Grzywacz
and Butler, 2005). Role accumulation theory argues that multiple roles may not only conflict,
but might generate more opportunities and resources for individuals that lead to their
Evidence-based HRM: a Global
Forum for Empirical Scholarship
Vol. 7 No. 2, 2019
pp. 127-142
© Emerald PublishingLimited
2049-3983
DOI 10.1108/EBHRM-10-2017-0053
Received 9 October 2017
Revised 9 March 2018
28 July 2018
Accepted 13 August 2018
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
www.emeraldinsight.com/2049-3983.htm
127
Work-family
interface
well-being and growth in various domains of life. Work-family facilitation is explained as a
form of synergy where resources acquired from one role (e.g. affect, skills, self-esteem,
monetary benefits, etc.) make participation easier in the other role (Wayne et al. 2004).
The conflict and facilitation aspects of work-family interface are considered to be
bidirectional, such that work can conflict or facilitate family life and family can conflict or
facilitatework life. To have a better understanding of the work-family interface,prior research
advocates simultaneous examination of the fourfold dimensions, namely work-to-family
conflict (WFC); family-to-work conflict (FWC); work-to-family facilitation (WFF); and
Family-to-work facilitation (FWF) (Grzywacz and Marks, 2000; Demerouti et al., 2004).
Literature substantiates that these four dimensions can be experienced concurrently and are
independent, i.e., each having different set of antecedents as well as outcomes (Grzywaczand
Marks, 2000; Aryeeet al., 200 5; Lu et al.,2009). Although, research in the past overwhelmingly
emphasized on the pattern of antecedents such that predictors of WFC and WFF mainly
reside in the work domain and predictors of FWC and FWF mainly reside in the family
domain, however, relatively lesser research has been done on the pattern of outcomes for all
the four dimensions of work-family interface (Shockley and Singla, 2011). Recently, Carlson
et al. (2014) urged for an expanded research that examine both directions of
work-family conflict and facilitation in relation to domain-specific and nonspecific outcomes
so that a complete picture of domain specificity could be delineated.
Domain specificity provides an explanation whether each dimension of work-family
interface affects strongly the outcomes of the receiving domainor the originating
domain.The receiving domainlabeled here as cross-domain associations suggests that
WFC and WFF influence family outcomes (receiving domain) more strongly than work
outcomes (originating domain), while FWC and FWF influence work outcomes (receiving
domain) more strongly than family outcomes (originating domain). The originating
domainlabeled here as matching-domain associations suggests that WFC and WFF
influence work outcomes (originating domain) more strongly than family outcomes
(receiving domain), while FWC and FWF influence family outcomes (originating domain)
more strongly than work outcomes (receiving domain).
This study is an attempt to understand which pattern of domain associations are
supported cross or matching, by simultaneously testing bidirectional dimensions of
work-familyconflict andfacilitation in relationto domains-specific(job and family) satisfaction.
It also examines whether the effect of the four dimensions of work-family interface on
life satisfaction (LS) is direct or mediated by domain-specific (job and family) satisfaction.
This will help to understand which domain association (cross or matching) bring about
major impact on LS.
To achieve the stated objectives, data were gathered from full-time journalists working
for the Indian newspaper organizations. A report by the International Federation of
Journalists, specific to the Asia-Pacific region stated that journalists in India currently face
job pressures and have a high turnover rate due to recent crisis in the newspaper industry
(Media and Gender: India report, 2015). The Associated Chamber of Commerce and Industry
of India (2007) also revealed that stress has intensified among top and middle level positions
in the Indian print media due to increasing digitization, long work schedules, tight deadlines
and blurring boundary between work and family domains. Most of the literature on
journalistsstress argued that long and inflexible work schedules, physical and mental
demands, irregular days off, working holidays, daily deadlines and witnessing disasters, are
some of the common facets of journalism that tend to conflict with family demands
and in turn, causes psychological negative implications for them and their families
(Reinardy, 2009; MacDonald et al., 2016). Contrarily, a few studies believed that journalism is
an enticing career because of its role as a powerful force in the society,
the exciting pace it carries and the skills and opportunities it provides through visiting
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