Gender differences in inter-role conflict in Spain

Purpose – Attention on the issue of individual level conflict between work and life roles remains a feature of studies on work-life balance. However, few studies have examined gender differences in the work-to-life conflict (WLC) and the life-to-work conflict (LWC) over a given period in Spain. The purpose of this paper is to address this gap in the literature. Design/methodology/approach – This research uses a two-wave (2009–2014) sample of working employees with children from an industrial sector in Spain. Findings – The 2009 results showed no gender differences in WLC; however, women experienced LWC significantly more than men. Conversely, the 2014 results showed more men suffered WLC and no gender differences were found for LWC. Research limitations/implications – One limitation is that we do not know if the same respondents answered the questionnaires in both time periods. Second, we did not analyse the inter-role conflict experienced by childless or single employees. Finally, and as stated before, findings may not be generalisable to other countries or sectors of activities. Social implications – Our findings are discussed in the context of the economic crisis, the labour market and family co-responsibility in Spanish society. Originality/value – Few studies have explored gender differences on inter-role conflict at two time points, and helps to identify key findings in terms of co-responsibility. Furthermore, this research is conducted in Spain, which is under-researched in WLB terms. The paper also identifies two distinct constructs of the inter-role conflict.