Spillover and crossover effects of working time demands on work–life balance satisfaction among dual-earner couples: the mediating role of work–life conflict

Abstract

To examine the spillover and crossover effects of working time demands (specifically, work contact in leisure time, evening work, and long work hours) on satisfaction with work–life balance among dual-earner couples, path analyses were conducted using data from the 2017/2018 German Family Panel (pairfam; N = 1,053 dual-earner couples). Working time demands were measured based on (a) answering work emails/phone calls in leisure time, (b) evening work, and (c) weekly work hours. High working time demands impaired workers’ work–life balance satisfaction due to higher levels of work–life conflict. They indirectly affected partners’ work–life balance satisfaction through two pathways: (a) workers’ and partners’ work–life conflict and (b) workers’ work–life conflict and work–life balance satisfaction. These findings indicate that high working time demands negatively impact the work–life balance satisfaction of workers and their partners because of work–life conflict experienced either by the workers only or by both partners. In an increasingly digitalized labor market, measures are needed to reduce working time demands—and thus work–life conflict—for workers and their partners.