Work-Family Conflict
Although employees are expected to establish a balance between their work and non-work spaces, conflicts may occur due to their participation in both roles (Karatepe & Kilic, 2007). Work-family conflict is defined as a kind of inter-role conflict where role pressures in work and family spaces are mutually incompatible in some areas. That is, it is stated that participation in the work/family role becomes more difficult due to participation in the family/work role (Duxbury & Higgins, 1991). In other words, work-family conflict occurs as a result of the conflict between work and family role demands (Bryon, 2005).
In the literature, it is seen that work-family conflict is examined under many different theories such as the role theory, spillover theory, compensatory theory and border theory. However, it is stated that role theory constitutes the center of the work-family conflict (Guzel & Ozgul, 2014) and frequently stated that this type of conflict is a special type of role conflict (Aras & Karakiraz, 2013; Efeoglu & Ozgen, 2007).
Work-family conflict and family-work conflict are two aspects of the conflict between work and family roles (Karatepe & Bekteshi, 2008). These conflicts can occur as an influence from work to family and from family to work. In the literature, it is seen that there are studies examining two aspects of the work-family conflict (Frone & Yardley, 1996; Netemeyer et al., 1996) as well as studies examining these two aspects with their sub-dimensions (Arslaner & Boylu, 2017; Carlson, Kacmar, & Williams, 2000). However, work-family conflict is generally examined in three dimensions based on time, tension and behavior (Pala, Tepeci, & Timur, 2018). The dimensions resulting from the dual directionality of the concept are assessed both as work-family conflict based on time, tension and behavior, and as family-work conflict based on time, tension and behavior.
Time-based conflict arises when the time allocated to work (family) roles prevent the fulfillment of the responsibilities related to family (work). Tension-based conflict occurs when tension resulting from work (family) roles makes it difficult to fulfill the family (work) responsibilities (Netemeyer et al., 1996). When behavioral patterns of one role are not consistent with the behavioral expectations related to the other role, behavior-based conflict emerges (Greenhaus & Beutell, 1985).