Work-family interference, psychological distress, and workplace injuries

We draw on conservation of resources theory (Hobfoll,) to investigate in two studies the relationship between work-family interference (i.e., work-family conflict and family-work conflict) and workplace injuries as mediated by psychological distress. In Study 1, we use split survey data from a sample of UK health care workers (N = 645) to first establish the model, and then cross-validate it, finding that work-family conflict (but not family-work conflict) was partially related to workplace injuries via psychological distress. In Study 2, we extend the model with a separate two-wave sample of manufacturing and service employees (Study 2; N = 128). We found that psychological distress fully mediated the relationship between work-family conflict and workplace injuries incurred 6 months later, controlling for prior levels of workplace injuries. The implications of making workplaces safer by enabling employees to better manage competing work and home demands are discussed.