Work–life conflict and facilitation: Mostly indirect effects on domain‐specific and work–life balance satisfaction over time

The majority of work–life research has been anchored around work–life conflict/facilitation and balance constructs, though these constructs have largely been examined in isolation from one another. The purpose of the current study is to provide a direct replication and longitudinal extension of Grawitch et al.'s cross‐sectional study exploring work–life balance satisfaction's relation to interdomain conflict and facilitation. We conducted a three‐wave longitudinal study (0, 1 and 6 months) to test the causal assumptions of the original study. In addition to exploring relationships between bidirectional conflict/facilitation and work–non‐work balance (WLB) satisfaction variables, the pathways by which work–life constructs influence work and non‐work life satisfaction were examined. Time 1 results largely replicated those from Grawitch et al. Time 2 and Time 3 models demonstrated consistency in the relationships between satisfaction with work and non‐work life and work–life balance and general stability across time points. Work–life conflict and life–work facilitation demonstrated the strongest indirect effects from Time 1 to Time 3 satisfaction constructs. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed in light of these findings.