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The Impact of Caregiving on Employment: A Mediational Model of Work-Family Conflict

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 November 2010

Monique A.M. Gignac ,
E. Kevin Kelloway  and
Benjam H. Gottlieb
Monique A.M. Gignac
Affiliation:
University of Guelph*
E. Kevin Kelloway
Affiliation:
University of Guelph*
Benjam H. Gottlieb
Affiliation:
University of Guelph*
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Abstract

This research evaluates a mediational model of work-family conflict among employees with caregiving responsibilities for older relatives. In a survey of employees from eight organizations, 396 women and 316 men completed measures assessing their eldercare involvement, the extent to which their family responsibilities interfered with work (FIW), the extent to which their work interfered with family (WIF), job satisfaction, job costs (e.g., missed meetings), and absenteeism. Eldercare involvement was significantly associated with FIW for women but not for men. Among women, FIW was related to job dissatisfaction and absenteeism; among men, it was related to job costs and absenteeism. WIF was unrelated to eldercare, but was associated with FIW and job costs for both women and men. It also was associated with job satisfaction for men. The findings of the current study suggest that eldercare responsibilities impact on the workplace indirectly by arousing conflict between family and work.

Résumé

Cette recherche porte sur l'évaluation d'un modèle de mèdiation du conflit entre travail et famille parmi des employés responsables de soins administrés à des parents plus âgés. Lors d'une étude effectuée auprès d'employés de huit organismes différents, 396 femmes et 316 hommes ont rempli des questionnaires mesurant leur participation aux soins des aînés, le degré de conflit entre les responsabilités familiales et le travail (RFT), le degré de conflit entre la famille et le travail (CFT), la satisfaction professionnelle, les coûts de travail (par ex., réunions ratées) et l'absentéisme. L'étude démontre qu'il existe un lien significatif entre la participation aux soins des aînés et les RFT chez les femmes mais pas les hommes. Chez les femmes, les RFT sont reliées à l'insatisfaction professionnelle et à l'absentéisme; chez les hommes, elles sont reliées aux coûts de travail et à l'absentéisme. Le CFT n'est pas relié aux soins des aînés mais est associé à aux RFT et aux coûts de travail aussi bien chez les femmes que chez les hommes. Il est également relié à la satisfaction professionnelle chez les hommes. Les résultats de la présente étude suggèrent que la responsabilité des soins aux aînés influence indirectement la vie professionnelle en créant un conflit entre la famille et travail.

Keywords

Work-Family ConflictCaregivingEmployment.Conflit famille-travailaideemploie.
Type
Articles
Information
Canadian Journal on Aging / La Revue canadienne du vieillissement , Volume 15 , Issue 4 , Hiver/Winter 1996 , pp. 525 - 542
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Association on Gerontology 1996

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