The moderating role of psychological capital and perceived organizational support on the effect of work-family life conflict on job satisfaction: A research on working from home during the pandemic

This study investigates the causalization of the effect of work-family conflict, which is a job demand as defined by the job demands-resources model, on job satisfaction in the context of conservation of resources theory, as well as the moderating role of psychological capital and perceived organizational support on this direct relationship. Employees with high levels of conflict between work and family roles may perceive a decreased level of job satisfaction in comparison to employees with lower levels of conflict. To enhance the level of job satisfaction, which represents one of the most important work attitudes in the field of organizational behavior in terms of its consequences, organizations should consider certain factors and practices that can mitigate the level of work-family conflict perceived by their employees. This action also counts for the management of the relationship under consideration. From this point of view, the results of this quantitative research, which was conducted on 550 participants through a questionnaire, reveals that work-family conflict has a significant and adverse effect on job satisfaction, and that psychological capital and perceived organizational support have a moderating role on this relationship. Nevertheless, it was found that the participants perceived working from home (telecommuting), which they had the opportunity to experience during the pandemic period in which the research was conducted, as a job resource, and that psychological capital and perceived organizational support played a moderating role in the relationship between work-family conflict and job satisfaction for those who work from home, but not for those who work in the office. The results are consistent with the conservation of resources theory. The theory posits that using resources to cope with conflict makes it easier for employees who experience conflict to meet job demands and exhibit positive work attitudes. The study is intended to serve as a guide for organizational managers and other practitioners seeking to manage the relationship between work-family conflict and job satisfaction, as well as to contribute, albeit in a small way, to the academic literature.