Refection Paper on Work-Family Conflict

PERSONNEL PSYCHOLOGY
2011, 64, 289–313

WORKPLACE SOCIAL SUPPORT AND
WORK–FAMILY CONFLICT: A META-ANALYSIS
CLARIFYING THE INFLUENCE OF GENERAL AND
WORK–FAMILY-SPECIFIC SUPERVISOR AND
ORGANIZATIONAL SUPPORT
ELLEN ERNST KOSSEK
Michigan State University
SHAUN PICHLER
California State University
TODD BODNER
Portland State University
LESLIE B. HAMMER
Portland State University

This article uses meta-analysis to develop a model integrating research on relationships between employee perceptions of general and work– family-specific supervisor and organizational support and work–family conflict. Drawing on 115 samples from 85 studies comprising 72,507 employees, we compared the relative influence of 4 types of workplace social support to work–family conflict: perceived organizational support (POS); supervisor support; perceived organizational work–family support, also known as family-supportive organizational perceptions
(FSOP); and supervisor work–family support. Results show work– family-specific constructs of supervisor support and organization support are more strongly related to work–family conflict than general
This research was partially supported by the Work, Family and Health Network, which is funded by a cooperative agreement through the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (Grant # U01HD051217, U01HD051218, U01HD051256, U01HD051276), National
Institute on Aging (Grant # U01AG027669), Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research, and National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (Grant # U010H008788).
The contents of this publication are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of these institutes and offices. Special acknowledgement goes to Extramural Staff Science Collaborator, Rosalind Berkowitz King, Ph.D. (NICHD) and Lynne Casper, Ph.D. (now of the University of Southern

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