Understanding the causes and consequences of work-family conflict

Abstract

st century employee is a desire for work and family balance which is devoid of conflict. Drawing on detailed empirical research, this article examines the multi-faceted causes and consequences of work-family conflict in a non-western context (Nigeria).Methodology -The paper uses qualitative data gleaned from the semi-structured interviews of 88 employees (44 university lecturers and 44 medical doctors) in cities in the six geo-political zones of Nigeria.Findings -The findings showed that work pressure, heavy familial duties, poor infrastructural facilities, and a lack of suitable and practicable work-family balance policies are the main causes of work-family conflict in Nigeria. Juvenile delinquencies, broken marriages/families, and an unhappy workforce are among the grave consequences of work-family conflict among Nigerian employees.Originality/value -This article suggests that the availability of basic infrastructural facilities, more governmental support, practicable work-family policies, inter alia, will reduce the level of work-family conflict for Nigerian employees and will also results in positive spill-over from the work domain to the family domain and vice-versa.Keywords: work-family balance, work-family conflict, spill-over, Nigerian employees. IntroductionAn understanding of the causes and consequences of work-family conflict (WFC) is of practical importance for both employees and employers. It will help employees work towards solving the problem of WFC by achieving a balance between their work demands and familial obligations (Burke et al., 2011). Employers will be able to offer help to employees in terms of ameliorating any WFC and will eventually have a healthy, happy, and productive workforce, thereby fostering societal harmony (Ransome, 2007;Kelly, Phyllis and Eric, 2011). This is, perhaps, whyHarrington and Ladge (2009, p. 148) described work-family balance (WFB) as one of the "most significant business issues of the 21 st century". It can be argued that WFC is an issue of global concern, with a great deal of research having been conducted about western countries (Brough and Kalliath, 2009;O'Driscoll, Brough and Kalliath, 2006). However, fewer studies have been undertaken about Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) (specifically Nigeria) (Ajiboye, 2008;Akintoya, 2010). This article provides an empirical insight into the causes and consequences of WFC by using Nigeria as the empirical focus. The social, cultural, and economic contexts differ from those of the West. This article aims to provide a Sub-Saharan African context for WFC.WFC has been discussed extensively in management literature and has dominated public discourse on work-family interface in the past four decades (Runte and Mills, 2006). The strong interest in this subject may well be connected with the fact that WFC negatively affects families, workers, and employers/organisations (Grover and Crooker, 1995;Konrad and Mangel, 2000).According to Runte (2009, p. 19 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 ...

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