Work

Work–Family Interference as a Mediator Between Job Characteristics and Employee Well-Being During COVID-19 in China: A Job Demands–Resources Model

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic has fundamentally transformed workplace dynamics worldwide. Within this context, emerging patterns in job demand and job resources necessitate a thorough examination of how these workplace changes affect work–family interference and employee well-being across diverse occupational categories. The current study investigates the differential impact of job characteristics on job satisfaction and work stress during the COVID-19 pandemic, comparing blue-collar and white-collar occupations in China. Drawing from the Chinese General Social Survey (CGSS) database, we conducted a cross-sectional analysis using data from two time periods, 2015 and 2021, encompassing 10,968 and 8148 valid samples, respectively. Through bootstrapping analysis, we tested the indirect effects of job characteristics on employee well-being, mediated by work–family interference. The results reveal distinct patterns across occupational categories. Blue-collar workers demonstrated increased susceptibility to work-related stress, primarily due to the compounding effects of dual workload demands that intensified their work–family interference. Conversely, white-collar employees maintained a positive relationship between job autonomy and job satisfaction, despite the negative mediating influence of work–family interference.

Source: Social Sciences

DOI: 10.3390/socsci14020090

Authors: Nan Chen, Chiungtzu Lucetta Tsai

Institutions: Kosin University, National Taipei University

Language: English

Topic: Work-Family Balance Challenges

Subfield: Sociology and Political Science

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Decent work and economic growth, Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,172