The cost of guilt: unpacking the emotional mechanism between work-to-family conflict and unethical pro-family behavior

Drawing on the appraisal theory of emotions and domain specificity perspective, we explore why and when work-to-family conflict leads to unethical pro-family behavior in the workplace. In particular, we propose that work-to-family conflict reinforces unethical pro-family behavior via employee felt guilt. Further, supervisor support for family issues attenuates the relationship between work-to-family conflict and felt guilt, whereas perceived forgiveness climate strengthens the relationship between felt guilt and unethical pro-family behavior. Two time-lagged field studies conducted in Pakistan and China supported our hypotheses. Study 1 demonstrated that work-to-family guilt mediated the relationship between work-to-family conflict and unethical pro-family behavior. Study 2 replicated these findings and provided additional support for our boundary conditions. Specifically, supervisor support for family issues buffered the positive effect of work-to-family conflict on work-to-family guilt; perceived forgiveness climate amplified the positive effect of work-to-family guilt on unethical pro-family behavior. Theoretical and practical implications of our findings were discussed.