Telework and Work-Family Conflict during COVID-19 Lockdown in Portugal: The Influence of Job-Related Factors

Even though research has been showing that telework, under regular circumstances, could benefit the integration of work and family life, mandatory telework during the COVID-19 lockdown brought additional challenges, with potential to create conflicts between work and family spheres. Using regression analysis, this study examined the contribution of demographic and job-related variables to the prediction of work-family conflict among a sample of 213 workers who were involved in mandatory telework during the first lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The results revealed that role overload, after-hours work-related technology use, and low job autonomy accounted for the prediction of work-family conflict. Support from the supervisors and coworkers did not have an impact in easing the perception of work-family conflict but presented a moderation effect between after-hours work-related technology use and work-family conflict. Implications of the study for management practices related to telework, limitations of the study, and directions for future research are discussed.

Automated summary

This study found through regression analysis that role overload, after-hours work-related technology use, and low job autonomy play significant roles in predicting work-family conflict among workers who were involved in mandatory telework during the COVID-19 lockdown. Although support from supervisors and coworkers did not alleviate the perception of conflict, it did moderate the relationship between technology use and work-family conflict.