Crossover of Work-Family Experiences from Supervisors to Subordinates: A Position Paper

Work-family experiences, such as work-family conflict and work-family enrichment, not only spill over from one role domain to another but also cross over from one role occupant (e.g., a partner in a dual-career couple or a supervisor in a work setting) to the other member in a dyad (e.g., the other partner in a dual-career couple or a subordinate in a work setting). Review of the literature suggests that studies using crossover models in work-family experiences, especially in work-family enrichment, are limited. Rarely studies have explored the processes through which the crossover takes place. Moreover, not many studies have considered supervisor-subordinate dyads as units of analysis in work-family literature. With this backdrop, the present article aims to put forth a few propositions to examine the crossover of work-family experiences from a supervisor to his/her subordinates. It posits that a supervisor's work-family experiences may influence the perception of family supportive work-environment and the perceived control over work schedule, which in turn may influence his/her subordinate's work-family experiences and the latter's subsequent performance. This article also explores the moderating roles of empathy and leader-member exchange (LMX) quality in the crossover of work-family experiences from supervisors to subordinates. A conceptual framework is proposed for further empirical validation. Research and applied implications of the conceptual model are also discussed.