Delaying Marriage and Childbearing Due to Work

Michelle K. Blocklin, Pennsylvania State University
Kelly Davis, Pennsylvania State University
Erin Kelly, University of Minnesota
Rosalind B. King, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), NIH

Many employees, particularly in white-collar settings, recognize that work-family conflicts might limit career advancement and these workers may delay family formation in response. This study focuses on single and childless workers employed in an information technology division of a Fortune 500 firm and their delays in marriage and childbearing due to work. Multi-level model results accounting for the nesting of workers in work groups reveal that some work characteristics (e.g., supervisor support) are linked to less delay in marriage and childbearing, while others (e.g., perceived work-family conflict) are linked to greater delay in marriage and childbearing. In turn, delays in marriage and childbearing are linked to problems for the individual workers (e.g., greater psychological distress) as well as problems for the workplace (e.g., greater turnover intentions). These results reveal the importance for individuals and workplaces of helping workers achieve success in both their careers as well as in family formation.