The positive interaction of work and family roles : Using need theory to further understand the work‐family interface

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide a review of the predominant theoretical frameworks used to describe the interaction between work and family roles and present an integrative model of work‐family enrichment. The goal is to better understand the psychological processes underlying work‐family enrichment and to identify ways in which work‐family enrichment can be increased. A conceptual and testable model depicting the direct and indirect relationships involved in work‐family enrichment is provided. Design/methodology/approach – A review of past theories describing the work‐family interface is provided, followed by the presentation of a theoretical and testable model depicting the relationships between work‐family enrichment and need theory. Findings – It is suggested that the basic needs of competence, autonomy, and relatedness are presented as important psychological benefits that directly impact affect within a domain and indirectly influence work‐family enrichment and quality of life. Research limitations/implications – This paper suggests several future directions that researchers can undertake to advance the understanding of positive linkages between work and family. These future directions include: testing the propositions related to need theory through a daily study approach, examining organizational and personal antecedents and consequences associated with work‐family enrichment, and testing the aspects of the presented model to further the new area of research, integrating work‐family enrichment and need theory. Practical implications – This paper highlights several practical recommendations for individuals and organizations. These include: the need to focus beyond work‐family conflict towards work‐family enrichment, incorporating basic psychological need fulfillment into employees' developmental goals, and for employees to seek psychological benefits to buffer any costs within a role when trying to balance work and family. Originality/value – This paper addresses several gaps in the previous work‐family literature including: the primary focus on the negative interaction between work and family; the lack of theoretical exploration into how and why multiple roles can lead to work‐family enrichment; and specifically, the integration of need theory as an explanation for work‐family enrichment.