Family-Work Interference and Job Satisfaction: The Challange of Balancing Work and Family Life for Male and Female Workers

Abstract

This paper examined the relationship between work and family and how it affects satisfaction at work. The study involved a web-based questionnaire and 116 female and male workers participated in the study, all college and university employees. Differences between men and women in how they experience work and family as well as satisfaction at work, were examined. Also, significance of values regarding work and family and the experience of social support was investigated. Aspects such as age, education and free time were also seen in relation to the family-work experience. Few hypotheses were confirmed as findings indicated few gender differences. The results showed support to both expansionist theory and the scarcity hypotheses, as family and work interference was considerably more prevalent for those having children. Further, contributions and limitations to the study, as well as future suggestions are presented.