Work-Family Conflict and Family Adjustment among Female Bank Employees at Different Life Stages and the Moderating Role of Social Support

The present investigation, aims at exploring both work-to-family (W-to-F) and family-to-work (F-to-W) aspects of work-family conflict and family maladjustment (FM) along with the moderator effect of social support on the relationship between them among bank employed women at different W-F life stages. Work-Family Conflict Scale, Family Adjustment Inventory for Working Women (high score denotes maladjustment), and Social Support Scale were administered individually to 250 clerical level female bank employees, belonging to three life stages, viz., Stage-1: Below 30 yrs, Stage-11:30-40 yrs and Stage-Ill: Above 40yrs. Intergroup comparisons revealed that on areas of Work-Family Conflict, W-to-F conflict remained similar at all life stages, however, F-to-W conflict was highest during Stage-11 and lowest during the Stage-1. On areas of FM, a decreasing trend could be observed with scores being highest at Stage-1 as compared to those at both the older life stages, and scores at Stage-11 being higher than those at Stage 111 indicating that family adjustment improves with life stage. Correlational analysis indicated that both W-to-F and F-to-W conflict had positive associations with almost all dimensions of FM. Results of moderator analysis indicated that Emotional Support did not moderate the relationship between W-to-F and FM at any W-F life stage, however, it moderated the relationship of F-to-W conflict with FM at Stages-1 and 11 but not at Stage-Ill. Informational Support did not moderate the relationship between W-to-F conflict and FM at any stage, however, it moderated the relationship between F-to-W conflict and FM but only at Stage-11. Practical Support moderated the relationship between W-to-F conflict and FM at Stage-11 only, but it did not moderate the relationship between F-to- W conflict and FM at any stage. Companionship Support significantly moderated the relationship between W-to-F conflict and FM as well as between F-to-W conflict and FM at Stage-1 only. Results have been analyzed in the light of the changes that take place in the lives of the women working in banking sector.