Gendered work–family conflict in Germany: do self-employment and flexibility matter?

Stefanie König and Beate Cesinger
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Stefanie König: University of Mannheim = Universität Mannheim
Beate Cesinger: MRM - Montpellier Research in Management - UPVM - Université Paul-Valéry - Montpellier 3 - UPVD - Université de Perpignan Via Domitia - Groupe Sup de Co Montpellier (GSCM) - Montpellier Business School - UM - Université de Montpellier

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Abstract: Applying a demands–resource approach, the present empirical study among 1395 individuals researches how flexibility and self-employment affect work–family conflict in Germany. Specifically, gender differences regarding work interference with the family and family interference with work are examined on a strain-based and time-based level. The multivariate results reveal a differentiated but surprisingly non gendered picture of the effect of self-employment and job flexibility regarding work–family conflict. Due to greater flexibility, self-employed people perceive a slightly lower time-based work-to-family conflict while their strain-based work-to-family conflict is higher than among employees. Regarding family-to-work conflict, self-employment leads to a higher level of time-based conflict, possibly because of higher expectations regarding availability. Thus, self-employment can be seen as a demand or a resource depending on the type of conflict. This study therefore contributes to a more refined understanding of the role of flexibility and self-employment in the light of literature on demands and resources.

Keywords: time-based conflict; work–family conflict; work–life balance; family–work conflict; flexibility; gender; self-employment; strain-based conflict (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015-08
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (7)

Published in Work, Employment and Society, 2015, 29 (4), pp.531-549. ⟨10.1177/0950017014545264⟩

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hal:journl:hal-02011121

DOI: 10.1177/0950017014545264

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