Linking citizenship pressure to work-family conflict: the mediating role of citizenship fatigue and the moderating role of mindfulness

BACKGROUND: With volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity, employees are often encouraged to take on tasks beyond their responsibilities, which may lead to citizenship fatigue, and be associated with work-family conflict. As an important individual resource, mindfulness may buffer this process. METHODS: drawing on resource conservation theory and role pressure theory, this study examines the mechanism underlying the relationship between citizenship pressure and employees’ work-family conflict and constructs a mediating model that includes citizenship fatigue and mindfulness. The data were collected from 287 employees in China. RESULTS: The results reveal that citizenship pressure is positively associated with employees’ work-family conflict, with citizenship fatigue partially mediating this relationship. Furthermore, mindfulness moderates both the direct effect of citizenship pressure on work-family conflict and the second stage of the mediation process. The moderated mediation effect is also significant. CONCLUSIONS: This study empirically validated the relationship between citizenship pressure and work-family conflict, providing guidance for organizations to address work-family conflicts related to citizenship pressure by managing employee work fatigue and fostering mindfulness.