Who said there is no place like home? Extending the link between quantitative job demands and life satisfaction: a moderated mediation model

Abstract

Purpose: Based on the job demands and resources (JD-R) model and conservation of resources (COR) theory, this paper aims to develop and test a model that examines the moderating role of daily remote work hours and the mediating role of work–family conflict on the effects of excessive workload and time pressure on life satisfaction due to mandatory remote work arrangements. Design/methodology/approach: Hierarchical regression analysis was used to analyze data from 400 professionals working in the IT sector in Turkey. Scales developed by previous researchers were used to measure excessive workload, time pressure, work–family conflict and life satisfaction. While these four variables were measured with 19 statements, daily remote work hours were determined with a single question. The collected data were validated using confirmatory factor analysis, and the hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling. Furthermore, the reliability and validity of the data were confirmed. Finally, PROCESS was applied to examine moderated mediation. Findings: According to the analysis results obtained from the above sample data, daily remote work hours moderate the mediating role of work–family conflict in the relationships between (1) excessive workload and life satisfaction and (2) time pressure and life satisfaction. In other words, the findings show that job-related demands arising from workload, time pressure and remote work hours prevent employees from meeting their family obligations, thereby increasing work–family conflict and ultimately affecting life satisfaction. Practical implications: The study can help employers, managers, human resource professionals, policymakers and researchers increase employees' life satisfaction due to the changes in job demands experienced by employees in companies that have transitioned to remote work practices. It can provide new approaches for dealing with dissatisfaction arising from work-related conflicts in Turkey's changing environment. The results can greatly facilitate the Turkish companies' efforts to create more innovative work arrangements and make an outstanding contribution to improving employee performance in Turkey's transition to remote work practices by focusing on reducing workload, time pressure and long working hours and creating employee-centered remote work models. Originality/value: As per World Health Organization, the world will face frequent pandemic in the coming years, and thus organizations should be aware of remote work practices that will become widespread. This study provides a new perspective on the impact of employees' changing job demands on work–family conflict and life satisfaction during organizations' transition to new work arrangements in the face of the social crisis created by the COVID-19 pandemic. The study also contributes to closing the research gap between job demands, work–family conflict and life satisfaction.