Mediators of transformational leadership and the work-family relationship

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the ways in which leaders influence follower’s work-life management. Specifically, the authors propose that personal (positive affect), social (managerial support for work-family balance), and job (autonomy) resources mediate the relationships between transformational leadership and work-family conflict (WFC) and enrichment. Design/methodology/approach – The sample included 411 managers in 37 hotel properties across the USA. Findings – The relationship between TL and WFC was mediated by autonomy, positive affect and managerial support for work-family balance, whereas the relationship between TL and WFE was mediated by managerial support for work-family balance and positive affect. Research limitations/implications – This study constructs a foundation for future integration of leadership and work and family literatures. It also provides preliminary support for work-family enrichment theory (Greenhaus and Powell, 2006), as well as the value of examining leadership through a resource-based perspective. Practical implications – Interventions designed to enhance leadership may be effective not only in the workplace, but also for reducing WFC and promoting enrichment. Originality/value – This study is the first to directly examine the effect of transformational leadership and both WFC and enrichment. Further, it specifies mediating variables that underlie these relationships.