Is More Commitment Always Better? A Study on the Side Effects of Excessive Organizational Commitment on Work–Family Conflict

Abstract

Despite the growing interest in and efforts for work–family balance, actual improvements in work–family balance have not been that significant in South Korea (e.g., increase in karoshi). This study considers an overly organization-oriented perspective as one of the reasons for this, and focuses on the side effects of excessive organizational commitment (OC) on work–family conflict (WFC), unlike most previous studies focusing on the positive effects of OC. Using the Korean Civil Service Survey, we found that OC has a significant U-shaped relationship with WFC and this U-shaped relationship appeared only in dual-income families. The results showed that when OC is too high, a negative transfer of resources from work to family overwhelms a positive transfer, thereby encroaching upon individuals’ personal lives. Therefore, organizational supports for employees to successfully perform their roles in the family while maintaining a high level of OC are needed.