Abstract
Ethnic and cultural diversity is an increasing reality in the US workplace. The current study highlights the importance of acknowledging the culturally heterogeneous nature of ethnic groups, and the need to focus on social identity characteristics such as cultural values when assessing group differences. We demonstrate that cultural values (i.e., individualism) contribute to employees' experiences of work-family conflict beyond the effects of ethnicity. Specifically, we introduce a model informed by social identity theory that explains why acculturation is related to work-family conflict. The model was tested with a sample of 309 employed Caucasian and Hispanic Americans. An empirical test of our model provides evidence that individualism mediates the relationship between language- and social-based acculturation and work-family conflict, even when controlling for ethnicity. Additionally, alternative models further reveal that the effects of acculturation and individualism contribute to work interfering with family. As an implication of the current study, we suggest that researchers and organizational managers should consider the cultural values of their diverse workforce when implementing policies that affect conflict between work and family.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 741-769 |
| Number of pages | 29 |
| Journal | Human Resource Management |
| Volume | 52 |
| Issue number | 5 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 2013 |
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Keywords
- Diversity
- Social identity theory
- Work-family conflict
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Management of Technology and Innovation
- Strategy and Management
- Applied Psychology
- Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management
Cite this
Acculturation and individualism as predictors of work-family conflict in a diverse workforce. / Olson, Kristine J.; Huffman, Ann H; Leiva, Pedro I.; Culbertson, Satoris S.
In: Human Resource Management, Vol. 52, No. 5, 2013, p. 741-769.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Acculturation and individualism as predictors of work-family conflict in a diverse workforce
AU - Olson, Kristine J.
AU - Huffman, Ann H
AU - Leiva, Pedro I.
AU - Culbertson, Satoris S.
PY - 2013
Y1 - 2013
N2 - Ethnic and cultural diversity is an increasing reality in the US workplace. The current study highlights the importance of acknowledging the culturally heterogeneous nature of ethnic groups, and the need to focus on social identity characteristics such as cultural values when assessing group differences. We demonstrate that cultural values (i.e., individualism) contribute to employees' experiences of work-family conflict beyond the effects of ethnicity. Specifically, we introduce a model informed by social identity theory that explains why acculturation is related to work-family conflict. The model was tested with a sample of 309 employed Caucasian and Hispanic Americans. An empirical test of our model provides evidence that individualism mediates the relationship between language- and social-based acculturation and work-family conflict, even when controlling for ethnicity. Additionally, alternative models further reveal that the effects of acculturation and individualism contribute to work interfering with family. As an implication of the current study, we suggest that researchers and organizational managers should consider the cultural values of their diverse workforce when implementing policies that affect conflict between work and family.
AB - Ethnic and cultural diversity is an increasing reality in the US workplace. The current study highlights the importance of acknowledging the culturally heterogeneous nature of ethnic groups, and the need to focus on social identity characteristics such as cultural values when assessing group differences. We demonstrate that cultural values (i.e., individualism) contribute to employees' experiences of work-family conflict beyond the effects of ethnicity. Specifically, we introduce a model informed by social identity theory that explains why acculturation is related to work-family conflict. The model was tested with a sample of 309 employed Caucasian and Hispanic Americans. An empirical test of our model provides evidence that individualism mediates the relationship between language- and social-based acculturation and work-family conflict, even when controlling for ethnicity. Additionally, alternative models further reveal that the effects of acculturation and individualism contribute to work interfering with family. As an implication of the current study, we suggest that researchers and organizational managers should consider the cultural values of their diverse workforce when implementing policies that affect conflict between work and family.
KW - Diversity
KW - Social identity theory
KW - Work-family conflict
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84894231602&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84894231602&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1002/hrm.21559
DO - 10.1002/hrm.21559
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84894231602
VL - 52
SP - 741
EP - 769
JO - Human Resource Management
JF - Human Resource Management
SN - 0090-4848
IS - 5
ER -