Public Employees’ Experience of Work-Family Conflict and Emotional Exhaustion: Lessons for Work from Home during the Covid-19 Pandemic in Fiji
Authors: Inayah Ali (Email: inayahali100@yahoo.com), Subhash Appanna, Jashwini Narayan and Buriata Tofinga
Abstract
This study examines the effect of work-family conflict on emotional exhaustion among Fiji’s public sector employees during enforced work-from-home (WFH) due to the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. A quantitative survey was conducted with 100 participants and then empirically analysed via PLS-SEM. Findings revealed that family interference with work (FIW) had a positive and significant effect on the emotional exhaustion of public employees. Similarly, work interference with family (WIF) on emotional exhaustion had the same effect. However, FIW has a more substantial impact on emotional exhaustion compared to WIF. This study highlights key strategies for public policymakers and human resource managers for better work-life balance of public employees in the post-COVID-19 era of enforced WFH. Suggestions are made at the policy level, managerial level and for home-based teleworkers. The theoretical contribution of this study is integrating role theory and conservation of resource theory for a comprehensive explanation for emotional exhaustion due to work-family conflict via resource loss. Studies on flexible working arrangements in Fiji’s workforce are rare, and this study is the first of its kind in the context of enforced WFH. The distinct challenges in Fiji’s case as barriers to effectively WFH are discussed.
Keywords: COVID-19; Emotional Exhaustion; Enforced WFH; Public Sector; Work-family Conflict
