Work-Life Conflict: Factors Associated with Negative Spillover from Home to Work

Work-life conflict can have adverse affects on both families and workplaces, impacting the wellbeing of society as a whole. One area of existing research on work-life conflict has focused on negative spillover from home to work. More specifically, when the stress from factors in individuals’ home and family life extends into and adversely affects functioning in the workplace. The purpose of this study was to further examine the factors associated with negative home-towork spillover through a quantitative study of secondary data. Using nationally representative data from the 2008 National Study of the Changing Workforce, this study analyzed home and family characteristics, occupational characteristics, and demographic characteristics of employed adults in the United States to identify which factors were most significantly predictive of negative hometo-work spillover. Stress in personal/family life was identified as the most significant predictor of negative spillover for both males and females. Among males, division of cleaning responsibilities and occupation were also significant predictors. The presence of children under the age of six in the home was found to be a significant predictor of spillover for females.