Taking dynamics and their origins seriously: Work-family conflict trajectories and their gendered antecedents in work and nonwork support

Containing work-family conflict is crucial for sustainable careers. This study examines work-to-family (WtFC) and family-to-work (FtWC) conflict trajectories, deploying the longitudinal Work, Family, and Health Survey on US healthcare and IT employees. It identifies five distinct profiles for 1843 individuals across four waves (T1–T4) spanning 18 months: Stable High, Stable Fairly-low, Stable Low, Increasing, and Decreasing. Stability in WtFC/FtWC is common, aligning with Dynamic Equilibrium Theory, but notable changes are also apparent, supporting Conservation of Resources Theory. The effect of initial levels (T1) of, and early changes (T1–T2) in, work and nonwork support is then examined. Individuals with higher initial support levels or larger early increases are more likely to belong to Stable Low, Stable Fairly-low, or Decreasing profiles than Stable High or Increasing ones. However, gender moderates these relationships, with support generally having stronger effects on women's membership in WtFC profiles and men's in FtWC profiles. The findings partially align with traditional gender roles typically linking women with caregiving and men with breadwinning, but also suggest shifting gender roles, with women valuing their careers and men actively engaging in family.