A mutually beneficial process: Accommodating work-family conflict and strengthening leader-subordinate relations

Abstract

The relationship between an employee and their immediate supervisor has an established impact on subordinate work-family conflict (WFC). Likewise, the leader-member exchange (LMX) relationship is a resource to address WFC both proactively and on an episodic basis. This study draws from LMX literature as a foundation to test a resource and socio-cognitively-based process model. The model purports that subordinates address WFC on a daily basis through the autonomy their LMX relationship provides; and, in turn, the LMX relationship evolves and strengthens. Using an experience sampling methodology over the course of ten business days, 130 individuals provided 1124 observations. Extending prior work linking LMX to WFC cross-sectionally, our model supported that LMX at the start of the study was linked with cumulative daily WFC through daily autonomy. Testing latent change in LMX, the model also supported that cumulative daily autonomy related to changes in LMX through cumulative daily WFC and perceptions of daily support. Our theoretically-driven model underlines the critical role of supervisors in addressing WFC and responds to calls in work-family and LMX literatures by capturing the dynamic nature of the constructs and processes involved in accommodating WFC. Moreover, our results highlight how LMX relationships stand to benefit both the supervisor and subordinate. Findings support the application of LMX literature and advance literature by documenting the complex and dynamic process involved in addressing WFC and changes in LMX quality. Practical implications, limitations, and future research directions are discussed.