Skip to main content

Research Repository

Advanced Search

Help When Dads Need Somebody? Follower Reactions to Leader Work-Family Conflict

Gloor, J.L.; Braun, S.

Help When Dads Need Somebody? Follower Reactions to Leader Work-Family Conflict Thumbnail


Authors

J.L. Gloor



Abstract

Perceptions of others’ work-family conflict (WFC) have typically been studied as a top-down phenomenon grounded in gender role theory. This work has consistently revealed negative career consequences for followers whom leaders judge to have higher WFC, particularly female followers. However, we know less about the conditions under which those lower in organizational hierarchies (e.g., followers) notice and respond to leaders’ WFC, if these perceptions might be stronger for male leaders, and if these perceptions predict behavioral outcomes. Integrating insights from expectancy violation and social exchange theories, we propose that followers perceive more leader WFC when leaders work longer hours, have more family ties (i.e., a partner and young children), and are male. Furthermore, we propose that followers respond to male leaders’ WFC positively—with extra effort at work—because family care expectations are traditionally lower for fathers than for mothers, and higher WFC for fathers is a positively violated gender stereotype. Results from a field study and two experiments largely support our predictions. This research highlights a new form of “fatherhood bonus” wherein leaders’ ostensibly negative state–WFC–elicits positive behavioral effects in the form of extra effort from their followers/lower-level evaluators, particularly for male leaders."

Citation

Gloor, J., & Braun, S. (2020). Help When Dads Need Somebody? Follower Reactions to Leader Work-Family Conflict. Academy of Management Proceedings, 2020(1), https://doi.org/10.5465/ambpp.2020.27

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Apr 1, 2020
Online Publication Date Jul 29, 2020
Publication Date 2020-08
Deposit Date Jan 4, 2021
Publicly Available Date Mar 29, 2024
Journal Academy of Management Proceedings
Print ISSN 0065-0668
Electronic ISSN 2151-6561
Publisher Academy of Management
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 2020
Issue 1
DOI https://doi.org/10.5465/ambpp.2020.27
Public URL https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1282415

Files





You might also like



Downloadable Citations