1. The Interplay of Relationships and Work for Personal and Professional Fulfillment
Emily A. Davis & David E. Szwedo
James Madison University
Introduction
Measures
Work Performance (age 25) Assessed using the Young Adult Adjustment Scale, completed by a close friend about participants’ positive work performance
Romantic Relationship Satisfaction (age 25) Assessed using the Romantic Life Satisfaction Questionnaire, a self-report measure of Romantic Satisfaction
Satisfaction with Close Friend Relationship (age 25) Assessed using the Network of Relationships Inventory, completed by a close friend about their satisfaction with their friendship with the participant
Career Satisfaction (age 27) Assessed using the Career Satisfaction Scale, a self-report measure asking about participants’ current career satisfaction
Friends Report of Youth Job Satisfaction (age 27) Assessed using the Young Adult Adjustment Scale (YAAS), a questionnaire completed by a close friend asking about how satisfied with their job they perceived their friend to be
Success (age 27) Assessed using the YAAS, completed by a close friend asking about how successful they perceived their friend to be
Happiness (age 27) Assessed using the YAAS, completed by a close friend asking about how happy they perceived their friend to be
Figure 1. Interaction between friendship satisfaction and work performance predicting future happiness. For individuals with lower work performance, higher satisfaction with a close friendship predicted greater individual happiness as compared to individuals with lower satisfaction in close friendships.
More than ever before employees are seeking a “work-life balance” which consists of a time balance, meaning equal time between work and family, an involvement balance meaning equal involvement of work and family, and a satisfaction balance meaning being both satisfied with career and life (Greenhaus, et al., 2003).
This study will focus on indicators of the satisfaction portion of work-life balance. When factors of career and life satisfaction contradict each other it will negatively impact views of work-life balance.
Employees who seek this balance experience many positive outcomes. For instance, when employees felt satisfied with how their careers were developing as well as the quality of their relationships experienced lower levels of depression and anxiety (Howard, et al., 2014), and higher levels of physical and mental health (Siahpush, et al., 2008).
This balance may also serve as a buffer for the taxing effects that long work hours may have on a person as many employees report high levels of career satisfaction if they were also satisfied with how their at home relationships were despite working over 80 hours a week (“Survey”, 2015).
Figure 1
Figure 2. Interaction between romantic relationship satisfaction and work performance predicting future career satisfaction. Individuals with higher romantic satisfaction and positive work performance experienced higher levels of career satisfaction in the future whereas individuals with positive work performance but lower romantic satisfaction did not experience this benefit.
Figure 2
Results
Correlations between primary variables are presented in Table 1 below.
Regression equations examined interactions between friendship/romantic satisfaction and work performance as predictors of future job/career satisfaction, happiness, and success. Analyses controlled for participant gender and household family income.
A significant interaction between friendship satisfaction and work performance predicted future happiness. For individuals who had lower work performance, having a satisfying friendship predicted greater happiness relative to individuals with lower work performance and less satisfying friendships (see Figure 1).
Interactions were also found between romantic satisfaction and work performance, such that higher romantic satisfaction and higher work performance predicted greater job/career satisfaction relative to individuals with high work performance but lower romantic satisfaction (see Figures 2 & 3).
Hypotheses
Figure 3. Interaction between romantic relationship satisfaction and work performance over time to predict future job satisfaction as assessed by a friend. Again, individuals with higher romantic satisfaction and positive work performance experienced higher levels of career satisfaction in the future whereas individuals with positive work performance but lower romantic satisfaction did not experience this benefit.
Figure 3
Participants who report greater satisfaction with their friendships and romantic relationships will report greater job/career satisfaction, success, and happiness over time.
Participants who report more positive work performance will report greater job/career satisfaction, success, and happiness over time.
Having both greater relationship satisfaction and more positive work performance will predict greater job/career satisfaction, success, and happiness over time relative to having success in only one of these domains.
Table 1. Univariate statistics and intercorrelations between primary constructs
Method
Discussion
Mean (SD) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
1. Gender
47%
(male) -
2. Income
43,618 (22,420)
-.11
3. Work
Performance (25)
34.60
(4.64)
-.01
.01
4. Romantic
Relationship
Satisfaction (25)
3.11
(0.98)
.08
-.00
-.02
5. Youth Sat. with
Close Friend Rel.
(25)
12.77
(2.62)
.09
-.07
.21*
.15
6. Happiness (27)
8.31
(1.74)
.04
.29**
.07
.13
7. Friend Report of
Youth Job Sat.
(27)
3.59
(1.11)
.38***
.20*
.29***
8. Career
Satisfaction (27)
17.77
(5.70)
.02
.16
.22**
-.03
.28**
9. Youth is
Successful (27)
4.20
(0.97)
.12
.10
.26*
.06
.69***
.19*
.26**
Participants
N = 184
Gender Race/ethnicity Income
86 males Caucasian Median = $40,000 - $59,000
98 females African American
24 Mixed/Other
Young adults who have satisfaction in friendships and romantic relationships as well as positive work performance experienced the greatest future happiness and job satisfaction.
These interactions produced a stronger effect than just the factors on their own, which shows the importance of having both a strong work and family life.
These results suggested that young adults who are making time for both work and family life are more likely to be happier and more satisfied with their careers in the future. These results add to the literature about the importance of maintaining a healthy work-life balance by further showing the positive outcomes of doing so.