Gendering the job demands-resources model: Work–family conflict in Taiwan

Abstract

Numerous studies show that job demands increase work-to-family conflict (WFC), while job resources have mixed effects on it. Yet the way in which their effects on WFC differ by gender is under-explored in Asian societies, where increasing female labour force participation coexists with traditional gender beliefs. Using data from the Taiwan Social Change Survey (TSCS) (N = 1,265), we find that mechanisms by which employment and family characteristics affect WFC differ for men and women. Having young children strengthens the effect of weekend work on WFC for women, but not for men. Working from home blurs work–family roles for women, but not for men. Increased family demands increases men’s but not women’s vulnerability to WFC, even though men do less housework. This study illuminates the importance of a gender-sensitive and culturally grounded explanation for WFC.