Work-Family Conflict, Organizational Identification, and Professional Identification Among Chinese Nurses From a Resource Perspective

Abstract

Background: The miserable work conditions faced by many nurses around the world make them particularly prone to work-family conflict.

Purpose: This study was designed to explain from a resource perspective how and when nurses experiencing work-family conflict are more likely to exhibit decreased levels of organizational identification and professional identification.

Methods: A time-separation research design was used, and data were collected from 322 nurses in five hospitals in China. All of the hypotheses were tested using conduct structural equation modeling.

Results: The results showed that work-family conflict had negative effects on organizational identification and professional identification via emotional exhaustion. In addition, job meaningfulness may have a buffering effect on the negative impact of work-family conflict on emotional exhaustion, organizational identification, and professional identification.

Conclusions/implications for practice: The results advance knowledge on how and when work-family conflict damages organizational identification and professional identification. Providing family support, relieving emotional exhaustion, and enhancing job meaningfulness are necessary to support the organizational and professional identification of nurses.