Work from home and work-family enrichment

The widespread adoption of Work from Home (WFH) during the COVID-19 pandemic prompted organisations to reassess these arrangements post-pandemic, sparking a debate on their impact on organisational and employee outcomes, including work-life balance and wellbeing. This chapter focuses on the concept of Work-Family Enrichment within the context of increased attention to Health and Wellbeing. Drawing from empirical evidence on antecedents of Work-Family Enrichment based on the synthesis of Conservation of Resources (CoR) and Job Demands and Resources (JD-R) theories, we propose a research model that incorporates employee WFH Practices and Perceived Location Autonomy as additional resources within the work context, now accessible to a larger number of employees. Our model evaluates work engagement while considering family engagement, creating a mediated pathway from family resources to family engagement. This, in turn, enhances the overall level of Work-Family Enrichment. Theoretical and practical implications derived from our research findings are subsequently discussed.