Work and Family Balance Among Icelandic Employees with Young Children

Audur Arna Arnardottir, Sturla Hreinsson, Olaf Sigurjonsson

    Research output: Contribution to conference › Paper › Research › peer-review

    Abstract

    Work-family balance is one of the major organizational challenges of the 21st century. Extensive research has been conducted that assesses wf-balance from the conflict standpoint, but in recent years, benefits, resulting from simultaneous participation in the work and family role, have gained increased interest. This research literature is much less developed and scholars have called for more international studies that simultaneously look at the positive and negative sides of the work-family interface.
    This study answers to that call and assesses work and family conflict and enrichment from the standpoint of Icelandic working fathers and mothers, who had taken parental leave in previous 6 years. Total of 1300 participants, 53% male, mean age 35 years (4.9 SD), 98% were married/cohabiting, and 79% worked full time.
    Multiple hierarchical regression showed that Icelandic fathers experience more conflict and less enrichment than Icelandic mothers (controlled for age, number of children, and number of weekly work hours. Cohen’s d from.52 to.72). T-test for independent samples showed that Icelandic fathers experienced significantly more time and behavior related conflicts than Icelandic mothers, and mothers experienced significantly more enrichment
    then men. Work-family enrichment and family-work enrichment were positively correlated to job satisfaction, emotional organizational commitment, life and family satisfaction (r=.25 to.45), whereas work-family conflict and family-work conflict were negatively correlated to the same variables (r=-.18 to -.37). Icelandic mothers report stronger positive attitude and support from employer and coworkers regarding taking time off to care for children than Icelandic fathers.
    Work-family balance is one of the major organizational challenges of the 21st century. Extensive research has been conducted that assesses wf-balance from the conflict standpoint, but in recent years, benefits, resulting from simultaneous participation in the work and family role, have gained increased interest. This research literature is much less developed and scholars have called for more international studies that simultaneously look at the positive and negative sides of the work-family interface.
    This study answers to that call and assesses work and family conflict and enrichment from the standpoint of Icelandic working fathers and mothers, who had taken parental leave in previous 6 years. Total of 1300 participants, 53% male, mean age 35 years (4.9 SD), 98% were married/cohabiting, and 79% worked full time.
    Multiple hierarchical regression showed that Icelandic fathers experience more conflict and less enrichment than Icelandic mothers (controlled for age, number of children, and number of weekly work hours. Cohen’s d from.52 to.72). T-test for independent samples showed that Icelandic fathers experienced significantly more time and behavior related conflicts than Icelandic mothers, and mothers experienced significantly more enrichment
    then men. Work-family enrichment and family-work enrichment were positively correlated to job satisfaction, emotional organizational commitment, life and family satisfaction (r=.25 to.45), whereas work-family conflict and family-work conflict were negatively correlated to the same variables (r=-.18 to -.37). Icelandic mothers report stronger positive attitude and support from employer and coworkers regarding taking time off to care for children than Icelandic fathers.
    LanguageEnglish
    Date2013
    Number of pages15
    StatePublished - 2013
    EventThe 22nd Nordic Academy of Management Conference. 2013: On Practice and Knowledge Eruptions - University of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland
    Duration: 21 Aug 2013 → 23 Aug 2013
    Conference number: 22
    https://nff2013.hi.is/

    Conference

    ConferenceThe 22nd Nordic Academy of Management Conference. 2013
    Number22
    LocationUniversity of Iceland
    CountryIceland
    CityReykjavík
    Period21/08/2013 → 23/08/2013
    Internet address

    Bibliographical note

    CBS Library does not have access to the material

    Cite this

    Arnardottir, A. A., Hreinsson, S., & Sigurjonsson, O. (2013). Work and Family Balance Among Icelandic Employees with Young Children. Paper presented at The 22nd Nordic Academy of Management Conference. 2013, Reykjavík, Iceland.
    Arnardottir, Audur Arna ; Hreinsson, Sturla ; Sigurjonsson, Olaf. / Work and Family Balance Among Icelandic Employees with Young Children. Paper presented at The 22nd Nordic Academy of Management Conference. 2013, Reykjavík, Iceland.15 p.
    @conference{e482acb0224b4691a1326ebcff05d2e6,
    title = "Work and Family Balance Among Icelandic Employees with Young Children",
    abstract = "Work-family balance is one of the major organizational challenges of the 21st century. Extensive research has been conducted that assesses wf-balance from the conflict standpoint, but in recent years, benefits, resulting from simultaneous participation in the work and family role, have gained increased interest. This research literature is much less developed and scholars have called for more international studies that simultaneously look at the positive and negative sides of the work-family interface.This study answers to that call and assesses work and family conflict and enrichment from the standpoint of Icelandic working fathers and mothers, who had taken parental leave in previous 6 years. Total of 1300 participants, 53{\%} male, mean age 35 years (4.9 SD), 98{\%} were married/cohabiting, and 79{\%} worked full time.Multiple hierarchical regression showed that Icelandic fathers experience more conflict and less enrichment than Icelandic mothers (controlled for age, number of children, and number of weekly work hours. Cohen’s d from.52 to.72). T-test for independent samples showed that Icelandic fathers experienced significantly more time and behavior related conflicts than Icelandic mothers, and mothers experienced significantly more enrichmentthen men. Work-family enrichment and family-work enrichment were positively correlated to job satisfaction, emotional organizational commitment, life and family satisfaction (r=.25 to.45), whereas work-family conflict and family-work conflict were negatively correlated to the same variables (r=-.18 to -.37). Icelandic mothers report stronger positive attitude and support from employer and coworkers regarding taking time off to care for children than Icelandic fathers.",
    author = "Arnardottir, {Audur Arna} and Sturla Hreinsson and Olaf Sigurjonsson",
    note = "CBS Library does not have access to the material; null ; Conference date: 21-08-2013 Through 23-08-2013",
    year = "2013",
    language = "English",
    url = "https://nff2013.hi.is/",

    }

    Arnardottir, AA, Hreinsson, S & Sigurjonsson, O 2013, 'Work and Family Balance Among Icelandic Employees with Young Children' Paper presented at, Reykjavík, Iceland, 21/08/2013 - 23/08/2013, .

    Work and Family Balance Among Icelandic Employees with Young Children. / Arnardottir, Audur Arna; Hreinsson, Sturla; Sigurjonsson, Olaf.

    2013. Paper presented at The 22nd Nordic Academy of Management Conference. 2013, Reykjavík, Iceland.

    Research output: Contribution to conference › Paper › Research › peer-review

    TY - CONF

    T1 - Work and Family Balance Among Icelandic Employees with Young Children

    AU - Arnardottir,Audur Arna

    AU - Hreinsson,Sturla

    AU - Sigurjonsson,Olaf

    N1 - CBS Library does not have access to the material

    PY - 2013

    Y1 - 2013

    N2 - Work-family balance is one of the major organizational challenges of the 21st century. Extensive research has been conducted that assesses wf-balance from the conflict standpoint, but in recent years, benefits, resulting from simultaneous participation in the work and family role, have gained increased interest. This research literature is much less developed and scholars have called for more international studies that simultaneously look at the positive and negative sides of the work-family interface.This study answers to that call and assesses work and family conflict and enrichment from the standpoint of Icelandic working fathers and mothers, who had taken parental leave in previous 6 years. Total of 1300 participants, 53% male, mean age 35 years (4.9 SD), 98% were married/cohabiting, and 79% worked full time.Multiple hierarchical regression showed that Icelandic fathers experience more conflict and less enrichment than Icelandic mothers (controlled for age, number of children, and number of weekly work hours. Cohen’s d from.52 to.72). T-test for independent samples showed that Icelandic fathers experienced significantly more time and behavior related conflicts than Icelandic mothers, and mothers experienced significantly more enrichmentthen men. Work-family enrichment and family-work enrichment were positively correlated to job satisfaction, emotional organizational commitment, life and family satisfaction (r=.25 to.45), whereas work-family conflict and family-work conflict were negatively correlated to the same variables (r=-.18 to -.37). Icelandic mothers report stronger positive attitude and support from employer and coworkers regarding taking time off to care for children than Icelandic fathers.

    AB - Work-family balance is one of the major organizational challenges of the 21st century. Extensive research has been conducted that assesses wf-balance from the conflict standpoint, but in recent years, benefits, resulting from simultaneous participation in the work and family role, have gained increased interest. This research literature is much less developed and scholars have called for more international studies that simultaneously look at the positive and negative sides of the work-family interface.This study answers to that call and assesses work and family conflict and enrichment from the standpoint of Icelandic working fathers and mothers, who had taken parental leave in previous 6 years. Total of 1300 participants, 53% male, mean age 35 years (4.9 SD), 98% were married/cohabiting, and 79% worked full time.Multiple hierarchical regression showed that Icelandic fathers experience more conflict and less enrichment than Icelandic mothers (controlled for age, number of children, and number of weekly work hours. Cohen’s d from.52 to.72). T-test for independent samples showed that Icelandic fathers experienced significantly more time and behavior related conflicts than Icelandic mothers, and mothers experienced significantly more enrichmentthen men. Work-family enrichment and family-work enrichment were positively correlated to job satisfaction, emotional organizational commitment, life and family satisfaction (r=.25 to.45), whereas work-family conflict and family-work conflict were negatively correlated to the same variables (r=-.18 to -.37). Icelandic mothers report stronger positive attitude and support from employer and coworkers regarding taking time off to care for children than Icelandic fathers.

    M3 - Paper

    ER -

    Arnardottir AA, Hreinsson S, Sigurjonsson O. Work and Family Balance Among Icelandic Employees with Young Children. 2013. Paper presented at The 22nd Nordic Academy of Management Conference. 2013, Reykjavík, Iceland.