IMPACT OF FAMILY-SUPPORTIVE WORK VARIABLES ON WORK FAMILY CONFLICT AND STRAIN - A CONTROL PERSPECTIVE

The authors examined the direct and indirect effects of organizational policies and practices that are supportive of family responsibilities on work-family conflict and psychological, physical, and behavioral m easures of strain. Survey data were gathered at 45 acute-care faciliti es from 398 health professionals who had children aged 16 years or you nger at home. Supportive practices, especially flexible scheduling and supportive supervisors, had direct positive effects on employee perce ptions of control over work and family matters. Control perceptions, i n turn, were associated with lower levels of work-family conflict, job dissatisfaction, depression, somatic complaints, and blood cholestero l. These results suggest that organizations can take steps that can in crease employees' control over family responsibilities and that this c ontrol might help employees better manage conflicting demands of work and family life.