Work-Family Conflict and Counterproductive Behavior of Employees in Workplaces in China: Polynomial Regression and Response Surface Analysis

This study investigates the complex mechanism of work-family conflict affecting counterproductive behavior of employees based on resource conservation theory and 417 valid samples by using polynomial regression and response surface analysis. Counterproductive work behavior refers to any intentional behavior of an individual that has potential harm to the legitimate interests of the organization or its stakeholders. Results show that first, work-to-family conflict (WFC) and family-to-work conflict (FWC) had four matching types. Compared with “high WFC-low FWC,” “low WFC-high FWC” and “low WFC-low FWC” matching conditions, the employee self-control resource depletion and counterproductive work behavior (CWB) are at their highest under “high WFC-high FWC” congruence matching condition. Second, the joint effect of WFC and FWC has a U-shaped relationship with counterproductive behavior. Compared with the “high WFC-low FWC” match state, the level of CWB in the “low WFC-high FWC” match state is higher. Third, the depletion of self-control resources played a mediating role in the effect of WFC on counterproductive behavior. Fourth, emotional intelligence moderated the relationship between the congruence of WFC and FWC and self-control resource depletion. Emotional intelligence was higher, and the positive relationship between the congruence of WFC and FWC and self-control resource depletion was weaker.