Family incivility, burnout and job satisfaction: examining the mediation effect

Abstract

PurposeDrawing from the work-home resources model and the conservation of resources theory, this study examines the potential of family incivility in instigating burnout and reduced job satisfaction.Design/methodology/approachThis study employed structured questionnaires to collect data from a sample of 290 doctors working in tertiary care hospitals across India. Measurement modeling was done using IBM AMOS 23.0 and PROCESS macro was employed for hypothesis testing.FindingsThe study revealed that family incivility has a positive spillover effect on burnout, subsequently leading to lowered levels of job satisfaction. Furthermore, burnout mediated the aforementioned relationship.Research limitations/implicationsThis study is cross-sectional, and a longitudinal study will help test more rigorously; the causal relationships between the focal variables are recommended. Self-report data pose limitations concerning common method bias. Data collected from different occupations and cultures would help with further generalizability of the results.Practical implicationsThis study establishes that incivility within the family can negatively affect various vital work outcomes. Accordingly, it is recommended for organizations to support employees to achieve improved work-family integration. Further research should explore various coping strategies that will help with mitigating these spillover effects.Social implicationsThis study offers a new perspective on the negative effect of family interactions on work-domain outcomes.Originality/valueThe paper extends the scholarly literature on stress and work-family interface by demonstrating that family incivility has spillover effects. This is the pioneering study that examines family incivility as a home demand causing long-term severe damages at work.