Work-to-family profiles, family structure and burnout in mothers

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify work-to-family profiles in working mothers, test whether profiles differ between sole and partnered mothers, and examine whether the work-to-family profiles are associated with burnout.

Design/methodology/approach

Data on work-to-family conflict (WFC), work-to-family enrichment (WFE), burnout, and relevant socio-demographic covariates were collected via a self-report online survey. Latent profile analysis on WFC and WFE items was used to identify profiles in 179-sole and 857-partnered mothers in paid employment. Regression analyses were performed to examine whether profiles were associated with burnout.

Findings

Five distinct work-to-family profiles were identified: Harmful, Negative Active, Active, Beneficial, and Fulfilled. Profile membership differed significantly between sole and partnered mothers, with sole mothers more likely to be in the harmful profile. The five profiles had differing implications for burnout.

Practical implications

WFC and WFE can co-occur, and have differing implications for health and well-being. It is important to consider both WFC and WFE when addressing employee burnout. Furthermore, sole mothers may need greater assistance in reducing WFC and increasing WFE in order to minimize burnout.

Originality/value

This study contributes to existing research by demonstrating differences in work-to-family profiles between sole and partnered mothers, and highlights the need for future research on diverse family types.

Citation

Robinson, L.D., Magee, C.A. and Caputi, P. (2016), "Work-to-family profiles, family structure and burnout in mothers", Journal of Managerial Psychology, Vol. 31 No. 7, pp. 1167-1181. https://doi.org/10.1108/JMP-03-2015-0102