Home / Lectures / Krista Brumley, Wayne State University
“Mixing Paint…it’s all the same color:” Work-Family Conflict during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Krista Brumley, Wayne State University
Description
Semester:
- Winter 2024
Speakers:
Lecture Time:
Fri, January 12, 2024 @ 1:30 pm to 3:00 pm
Lecture Location:
R0220, Ross building
Speaker Webpage(s):
https://clasprofiles.wayne.edu/profile/dx4900
Introduced By:
No introduction available.
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic significantly altered work and family lives. Whereas some couples faltered
under the pressure of balancing work and family during the height of the pandemic, others thrived.
Shaping these experiences was the widespread adoption of remote work which gave rise to various
possible work from home configurations among couples. Further, the closures of daycare centers and
schools created added strain on the lives of dual-earning couples with young children. This presentation
is two-fold. First, using survey data from August 2020-March 2021 with both members of 343
heterosexual, dual-earning U.S. couples, I examine whether the extent of remote work at home
distinctly affects men and women’s own behavioral work-family conflict, and how this crosses over to
their partner’s behavioral work-family conflict. I also discuss if the actor and partner effects vary for
parents and childfree couples. Most work-family conflict research uses perceptual scales to measure
effects of time, energy, strain, and behavior (e.g., Carlson et al. 2000; Greenhaus et al. 2006; Netemeyer
et al. 1996). However, long-standing perceptual measures have not distinguished “between subjective
and behavioral role conflict” (Clark et al. 2019: 40). This study provides a unique opportunity to analyze
specific instances of work-family conflict (e.g., less engaged, less attentive, frustrated, or short-tempered
with family or co-workers), regardless of expected behaviors in either domain.
Second, using interview data from 37 dyads (subset of survey dyads), I provide a phenomenological
account of how the couples made sense of their pandemic work/family experiences. Using data from
both spouses, an inductive account of what work-family conflict "looked" like in the family reveals that
some view it as compartmentalized and others as unified. Others framed managing work-family conflict
either as heroes, responding to a serious, often unexpected situation that requires immediate reaction
or a victim, which involves or results in someone or something adversely affected by an external force or
agent. Those couples that are emotionally close seem to work together as a team and communicate
about their needs. Those that are emotionally distant couples seem to value work above family, leaving
each spouse to cope on their own. By examining what couples were saying and doing, we can consider
how work-family conflict manifests within the context of COVID-19.
Recording & Additional Notes
No additional notes available.