Work-family conflict in times of crisis: The moderating roles of self-efficacy and time-based spousal support during pandemic-induced remote work.

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the global transition to remote work, requiring working parents to rapidly adapt to home-based arrangements. As work and family boundaries became increasingly blurred, concerns regarding work-family conflict (WFC) intensified. Drawing on Conservation of Resources (COR) Theory, Social Cognitive Theory (SCT), and Asymmetric Boundary Permeability Theory, the present study examined the relationships among time-based spousal support, self-efficacy, work- and family-related time demands, and WFC. Data were collected online from 211 working parents in dual-earner families engaged in pandemic-induced remote work. An a priori power analysis confirmed that the sample size was sufficient to detect medium effects. Results indicate that work-to-family conflict was higher than family-to-work conflict. While work- and family-related time demands were not directly associated with conflict, time-based spousal support moderated the relationship between work-related time demand and work-to-family conflict. Self-efficacy did not moderate time-demand relationships but was directly associated with lower levels of both work-to-family and family-to-work conflict. These results highlight the significance of contextual and personal resources in shaping work-family dynamics under crisis-driven and externally imposed work arrangements.