Reduced Working Hours for Childcare and Work-Family Conflict and Facilitation among Teachers: The Moderating Role of School Characteristics

This study examines the relationship between reduced working hours during childcare and work-family conflict, and facilitation among teachers. It also explores whether school characteristics, principal support, and school level moderate this relationship. Data were collected via an online survey from 260 teachers raising children ≦ five years old and analyzed using descriptive statistics and hierarchical regression analysis. The results demonstrated that using the reduced working hours policy was significantly associated with work-family conflict, and both principal support and school level moderated this relationship. However, the frequency of use was not significantly associated with work-family conflict, although school level moderated this relationship. Conversely, policy was not significantly associated with work-family facilitation; however, the frequency of use was positively and significantly related to facilitation. These findings suggest that frequent of use the policy, rather than mere access, promotes work-family facilitation. Therefore, it is crucial to establish mechanisms that encourage frequent of the policy, along with customized policies tailored to different school levels.