Work-Life Conflict and Organizational Support in a Military Law Enforcement Agency

• Published in: Journal of police and criminal psychology 2012-04, Vol.27 (1), p.63-72
• Main Authors: Sachau, Daniel A., Gertz, Jessica, Matsch, Mahlia, Palmer, Ashley Johnson, Englert, David
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Airforces; Armed forces; Behavioral Science and Psychology; Corporate culture; Criminal investigations; Criminology and Criminal Justice; Employee turnover; Enforcement; Families & family life; Family conflict; Family work relationship; Job satisfaction; Law and Psychology; Law enforcement; Life sustaining treatment; Military law; Military personnel; Organizational support; Peer tutoring; Perceived social support; Perceptions; Psychology; Social support; Supervisors; Turnover; Work life balance; Work-Leisure conflict
• ISSN: 0882-0783; 1936-6469
• DOI: 10.1007/s11896-011-9095-x

The purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which work-life conflict and organizational support for work-life balance are related to job satisfaction and turnover intentions for military law enforcement personnel. More specifically, 1203 members of the United States Air Force Office of Special Investigations completed a survey that measured family-to-work conflict, work-to-family conflict, perceptions of work-life support from the organization, support from immediate supervisors, and support from peers. Work-to-family and family-to-work conflict were related to job satisfaction and turnover intentions. Perceived social support, especially at the organizational level, was negatively correlated with work-to-family and family-to-work conflict. Agents within the OSI were experiencing more work-to-family and family-to-work conflict than OSI support staff although the relationships among support, conflict and satisfaction were the same for the two groups.