Service employees’ fit, work-family conflict, and work engagement

Abstract

Purpose

Using person–job fit, congruence and conservation of resources theories as the theoretical underpinnings, the purpose of this study is to propose and test a research model that investigates work-family conflict and family–work conflict as mediators of the impact of person–job fit on work engagement. The model also examines the mediating role of work engagement in the relationship between conflicts in the work–family interface and life satisfaction.

Design/methodology/approach

Data gathered from frontline hotel employees two weeks apart in three waves in Romania were utilized to assess the abovementioned relationships via structural equation modeling.

Findings

Two directions of conflict act as partial mediators between person–job fit and work engagement. Work engagement fully mediates the relationship between work–family conflict and life satisfaction, while it functions as a partial mediator of the effect of family–work conflict on life satisfaction.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to current knowledge by investigating the interrelationships of person–job fit, two directions of conflict, work engagement and life satisfaction.

Citation

Karatepe, O.M. and Karadas, G. (2016), "Service employees’ fit, work-family conflict, and work engagement", Journal of Services Marketing, Vol. 30 No. 5, pp. 554-566. https://doi.org/10.1108/JSM-02-2015-0066