Work overload, parental demand, perceived organizational support, family support, and work-family conflict among New Zealand and Malaysian academics

Abstract

Relationships between work overload and parental demands with work-family conflict were investigated among New Zealand and Malaysian academics. In addition, social support from the work and family domains were explored as moderators in the proposed relationships. Two public universities, one located in New Zealand and the other in Malaysia, participated in the study. Analysis of data gathered from 202 academic staff from New Zealand and 183 from Malaysia demonstrated similar findings concerning the positive relationships between work overload and work-to-family interference across the two samples. Contrary to prediction, parental demand was found to be unrelated to family-to-work interference in both samples. In addition, no evidence emerged for the moderating effects of perceived organizational support and the two forms of family support. Implications of the findings and suggestions for future research are discussed.