Work–Family Balance Satisfaction of Racially and Ethnically Minoritized Postdoctoral Scholars in the STEM Fields

Abstract

Postdoctoral scholars encounter challenges as they navigate the gap between graduate school and employment positions, one of which includes the challenge of work–family conflict and balance. We used structural equation modeling to test goal endorsement as a possible cultural moderator of the indirect relationship between work demand and work–family conflict. Results revealed that the indirect effect between work demand and work-family conflict was significant at low, but not high, levels of communal goal endorsement. In turn, work–family conflict was found to be a significant negative predictor of work–family balance satisfaction. Results suggest that minoritized postdoctoral scholars’ high value of communion serves as a protective factor in reducing the deleterious effects of challenging work environments on work–family conflict and satisfaction with work–family balance. Empirical and practical implications of the findings are presented.