The relationship between job demands, resources and subjective wellbeing: The role of work-family conflict across the life course

Most individuals yearn to experience interpersonal closeness and connection to others at work. Would those experiences be related to lower work-family conflict (WFC), which in turn would be related to enhanced wellbeing? In the current study we build on job demands-resources (J-DR) and self-determination (SDT) theories to investigate differences across the life course in the effect of communion job resources (employee involvement and supportive leadership) and job hindrance demands (surface acting) on important dimensions of employee wellbeing (namely mental health, sleep quality and work-engagement). Moreover, we study the proportion of the total effect of job demands and resources on individual outcomes that is mediated by the subjective assessment of WFC. Structural equation modelling (SEM) analysis, which draws on the 6th European Working Conditions Survey (N = 35,377 employees in 35 countries), reveals that communion job resources are associated with lower WFC, which in turn is associated with enhanced wellbeing. Conversely, communion job hindrance demands and structural demands (long working hours) are related to heightened WFC, which is translated into diminished wellbeing. The model is significant for both men and women from all age groups, but parameter estimates magnitude are stronger for women aged 50 +. Implications of the findings are discussed.