Job demands and work-family conflict in preschool teachers: The buffering effects of job resources and off-job recovery experiences

Drawing on the job demands-resources model and effort-recovery model, this two-wave study among preschool teachers explored whether job demands (i.e., workload and surface acting) increase work-family conflict over time. The authors further predicted that job resources (i.e., supervisor support and the perceived meaning of work) as well as recovery experiences during after-work hours (i.e., psychological detachment and relaxation) act as buffers and mitigate the detrimental effects of job demands on work-family conflict. This study was conducted among 337 preschool teachers in Chinese societies over the period of 1 year. In line with these hypotheses, results indicated that job demands (i.e., workload and surface acting) significantly increase work-family conflict over time and, more importantly, job resources and recovery experiences during after-work hours protect against increased work-family conflict over time despite high job demands. These findings contribute to work-family research and show how the detrimental impacts of job demands on the family domain can be prevented through enhancing job resources and fostering well-functioning recovery experiences during after-work hours.