Work–family conflict and enrichment in nurses: between job demands, perceived organisational support and work–family backlash

Aim: This study investigated how work relationships (perceived organisational support, supervisor and co-worker work–family backlash) and job demands (workload, emotional dissonance) can interact with work–family conflict and work–family enrichment. Background: Despite the extensive literature on the work–family interface, few studies on the nursing profession have considered the role of job demands and work relationships, focusing on both the positive and negative side of the work–family interface. Method: The study involved a sample of 500 nurses working in an Italian hospital. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were used to test hypotheses. Results: Analyses showed that work–family conflict has a positive relationship with job demands and supervisor backlash, and a negative relationship with perceived organisational support. Work–family enrichment was found to have a negative relationship with job demands and a positive relationship with perceived organisational support. No significant relationships were found between work–family enrichment and both backlash dimensions. Conclusion: The study confirmed the importance of promoting a balance between job demands and resources in order to create favourable conditions for work–family enrichment and to prevent work–family conflict. Implications for nursing management: The findings suggest that it may be advisable for health-care organisations to invest in measures at individual, team and organisational levels, specifically in training and counselling for nurses and supervisors.