Work/Family Border Theory and Gender Role Orientation in Male Managers

Abstract

Research on the work/family interface has largely focused on women. Relatively little is known about how men conceptualise their roles at work and at home, the work/family conflict they experience, and how this relates to their life satisfaction. Gender role orientations in society are changing, varying from traditional through to participating and role sharing. We examined the relationship between male managers' gender role orientation, work/family conflict and life satisfaction within the framework of Clark's work/family border theory. Gender role orientation was used to operationalise border theory's concept of centrality. Conflict between the work and family domains was examined in a bidirectional manner. A non-experimental, cross-sectional correlational research design was used. The sample consisted of 52 married or cohabiting male managers in dual career relationships and with at least one child dependant under 18 years of age living at home. Self-report questionnaires were used. Results indicate that there is (a) a relationship between men's gender role orientation and overall work/family conflict, (b) there is a relationship between gender role orientation and family to work conflict, but not between men's gender role orientation and work to family conflict, and (c) a negative relationship between work/family conflict and life satisfaction. The types of work/family conflict (time, behaviour and strain) were also examined. A significant relationship was found between strain-based conflict and life satisfaction. Results are interpreted in terms of the centrality of participants in their work and family domains, whereby participants with a more role-sharing gender role orientation enjoy greater centrality at home and therefore a greater sense of agency in dealing with role conflict between the domains.