Positive Work–Family Interfaces among Construction Project Management Employees: Bidirectional Work–Family Enrichment

Abstract

Project management employees in the construction industry experience severe work–family conflict, so exploring the positive interactions between the work and family domains is significant. This study examines the interaction effects of social support and work–family centrality on the bidirectional work–family enrichment [i.e., work–to–family enrichment (WFE) and family–to–work enrichment (FWE)], and the effect of bidirectional work–family enrichment on job performance. Hypotheses are proposed based on the conservation of resources theory. Questionnaire data were collected in two waves from 298 project management employees in construction projects. The quantitative results showed one-to-one matching relationships, namely organizational (family) support positively affected WFE (FWE) and, in turn, improved task performance (project citizenship behavior, PCB). Work–family centrality further strengthened the positive impact of family support on FWE. Qualitative interviews were also conducted with 15 construction project management employees, verifying the matching relationships and providing deeper insights. This study contributes to the construction management literature by shifting the focus from a negative to a positive perspective on the work–family interface. Based on this shift, it deepens the formation mechanism of work–family enrichment by focusing on the interactive influence of social support and work–family centrality. It also enriches the research on consequences of bidirectional work–family enrichment by revealing its distinct impacts on two types of job performance among construction project management employees. Together, the findings inform construction firms about their roles in facilitating employees’ access to social support and in customizing management approaches based on employees’ work–family centrality.