Boundary Flexibility and Transitions Over The Work and Family Domains: Gender and Cross-cultural Differences

Abstract

This paper is a part of an extensive study on work-family interface in a cross-cultural context. On a sample of 417 full time female (n=246) and male (n=126) employees from three countries (Romania, n=160; Poland, n=131; Macedonia, n=126) boundary flexibility and transitions over the work and family domains were explored. Boundary Flexibility Scale (α=.80) and Inter-Domain Transitions Scale (α=.78) were used to assess study variables. Two-way ANOVA’s revealed that: a) male respondents reported higher ability and stronger willingness to flex work role than female respondents and they did work-to-family transitions more often compared to women; b) female and male participants did not differ in their ability and willingness to flex family role and to make family-to-work transitions; c) work flexibility ability and work flexibility willingness were highest among Polish employees; d) Macedonian employees indicated highest degree of family flexibility ability and family flexibility willingness; e) work-to-family and family-to work transitions were highly expressed among Romanian employees. Interaction effect of gender and country on dependent variables was not statistically significant. Additionally, work-to-family transition variable was regressed on work flexibility ability and work flexibility willingness, whereas family-to work transition variable was regressed on family flexibility ability and family flexibility willingness. It was found that these relations differ across the countries.Results demonstrated that gender and cultural context should be taken into consideration when boundary flexibility and transitions over the work and family domains are investigated.