JOB DEMANDS, SOCIAL SUPPORT, AND WORK-FAMILY CONFLICT: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF IMMIGRANT AND NATIVE WORKERS IN THE UNITED STATES

• Main Author: Ojha, Mamta U.
• Format: Others
• Published: UKnowledge 2011
• Subjects: work-family conflict; job demands; workplace social support; supervisor support; immigrant workers; Social Work
• Online Access: http://uknowledge.uky.edu/gradschool_diss/198; http://uknowledge.uky.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1202&context=gradschool_diss

Over the last five decades, there has been an increase in the number of immigrants coming to and settling in the United States (U.S.). Limited research has explored the job and workplace characteristics that contribute to work-family conflict among immigrant workers. To fill this gap in knowledge this study examines the relationship of job demands, social support and worker characteristics to work-family conflict among immigrant and native workers in the U.S. Using the 2002 National Study of Changing Workforce (NSCW), this exploratory study identifies the job demands, social support and socio-demographic factors related with time-based, and strain-based, work-family conflict among immigrant (n=157) and native workers (n=165). Four research questions were posited to examine the differences between the immigrant and native workers’ experiences of job demands, workplace social support, and work-family conflict; the relationship between job demands, workplace social support and time-based and strain-based work-family conflict; and the job demands, workplace social support and socio-demographic characteristics that predicted time-based, and strain-based work-family conflict. Independent sample t-tests, cross-tabulations, and stepwise multiple regressions via backward elimination method were used to address specific research questions. Findings indicate that only two job demands, work schedule and learning requirements, are significantly different between immigrant and native workers. Multivariate analysis suggests that among immigrant workers, workload pressure, total hours worked, and lack of co-worker social support are significantly associated with time-based, work-family conflict; being married, lack of supervisor social support, lack of learning requirements, increased work hours and workload pressure are associated with strain-based, work-family conflict. Among native workers childcare responsibilities, lower levels of income, a job with rotating or split shifts, high workload pressure, increased work hours, and lower learning requirements are associated with time-based work-family conflict. Being younger, having lower supervisor social support, lower learning requirements, higher workload pressure, working at rotating/split shift, and having work role ambiguity are significant predictors of strain-based, work-family conflict among native workers. Drawing on person-in-environment perspective, this study has implications for social work practice at individual, organizational, and policy levels, and also for work-life research among immigrant working populations.