Mental spillover in IT workplace: overthinking and organizational support in the work-family conflict and incivility link among employees in Chennai

Purpose This study aims to examine how work-family conflict (WFC) contributes to workplace incivility (WPI) in high-pressure information technology (IT) environments, emphasizing the mediating role of overthinking (OT) and the moderating effect of perceived organizational support (POS). This study aims to clarify the psychological and organizational mechanisms that transform strain into incivility. Design/methodology/approach A mixed-methods approach was used. The qualitative phase involved semi-structured interviews with 22 IT professionals to explore the psychological effects of WFC. Insights from this phase informed a quantitative survey administered to 410 IT employees in Chennai, India. Structural equation modeling and the PROCESS macro were used to test a moderated mediation model grounded in the conservation of resources theory. Findings The results indicate that OT significantly mediates the relationship between WFC and WPI. Additionally, POS moderates this indirect effect such that the positive association between OT and incivility is weaker when organizational support is perceived as high. Research limitations/implications The cross-sectional nature of this study limits causal interpretation. Future research may benefit from longitudinal designs and larger industry samples. This study contributes to the literature by integrating psychological strain and organizational context into the WFC-incivility link. Practical implications Organizations can reduce incivility by supporting employees facing WFC through stress management interventions and POS-enhancing human resource practices. Promoting support structures may buffer cognitive overload and improve workplace behavior. Originality/value This study offers a novel moderated mediation model explaining how OT links WFC to incivility and how POS attenuates this effect, especially relevant for knowledge-intensive sectors like IT.