Moderating the Harmful Effects of Police Nightshift Work on Work–Family Balance by Adjusting Shift Autonomy

Abstract

As maintaining a balance between work and family is essential, clarifying how nightshift work impedes this balance is crucial. The clarification concerns the mediation and moderation of the effect of nightshift work by work hazards and shift autonomy. This study analyzed survey data on 793 police officers in Hong Kong, China. Results showed that the duration of nightshift work negatively affects work–family balance. This effect partly involved the mediation of work hazards, and it was weak when the shift autonomy was high. The lower shift autonomy of female officers during nightshift work than their male counterparts was partly responsible for the former’s lower work–family balance. These results imply the applicability of conservation of resources theory to promote work–family balance.