Workplace Support and Life Satisfaction: the Mediating Roles of Work-to-Family Conflict and Mental Health

Workplace support has been consistently identified as an important factor shaping the well-being of workers. This study adds to the existing literature by considering how three central facets of workplace support-coworker support, supervisor support, and organizational support-relate to the life satisfaction of US workers. Additionally, we examine whether work-to-family conflict and poor mental health mediate the relationships between the three aspects of workplace support and life satisfaction. The research questions are addressed using data from the 2008 National Study of the Changing Workforce (N = 2594). Our findings indicate that all three types of workplace support have direct effects on life satisfaction. Results also show that work-to-family conflict fully mediates the effect of organizational support on life satisfaction, and partially mediates the effect of supervisor support on life satisfaction. Moreover, poor mental health fully mediates the effects of both organizational and supervisor support on life satisfaction. Coworker support, however, is not mediated by either variable. Overall, we make a contribution to the literature by examining how all three forms of workplace support relate to life satisfaction, with findings emphasizing the centrality of workplace support to the life satisfaction of US workers. We also deepen the understanding of these issues by highlighting the mediating roles of poor mental health and work-to-family conflict.