WORK-FAMILY CONFLICT AND JOB PERFORMANCE: THE ROLE OF PROJECT LEADERSHIP BEHAVIOUR AND SPOUSAL SUPPORT IN NGOS IN PAKISTAN

Pakistan’s development sector is actively working to enhance the well-being of its citizens. NGOs in Pakistan work in various sectors, including health, poverty alleviation, education, violence against women, and child labour. This study investigates the relationship between work-family conflict (WFC) and job performance (JP), with a particular focus on the moderating effects of project leadership behaviour (PLB) and spousal support (SS). The research aims to assess how these moderating variables influence the extent to which WFC impacts employees' performance outcomes within project-based environments. The study sample consisted of 212 employees working in the development sector on various projects. The data was collected by e-mail and self-administered surveys from project personnel. This study used Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) with the SMART PLS 3 program to conduct various tests, i.e., demographic profiling, reliability and validity testing, and moderation analysis to analyze the data. The study found that work-family conflict had a statistically significant positive influence on job performance, suggesting that employees may compensate for family-related stress by increasing work effort. Spousal support showed insignificant results and was therefore ruled out as a moderator of the relationship between work-family conflict and job performance. However, in the context of Pakistani culture, spousal support is often limited, which intensifies the burden on working partners—highlighting the need for organizational interventions to fill this gap. The study highlights the importance of supportive leadership in minimizing work-family conflict and improving staff performance in NGOs.