Rest to Resist: How Recovery Shields Well-Being from Work-Family Strain

This study examines the mediating role of recovery experiences in the relationship between work-family conflict (WFC) and employee well-being. While WFC has been consistently linked to negative outcomes such as psychological distress and reduced life satisfaction, the mechanisms that may buffer its effects remain underexplored. Drawing on the Conservation of Resources Theory and the Effort-Recovery Model, we investigated whether four types of recovery experiences-psychological detachment, relaxation, mastery, and control-mediate the WFC-well-being relationship. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 240 employees using validated self-report instruments. Data were analysed through correlation, regression, and mediation techniques, including bootstrapping procedures via PROCESS. The results confirmed a significant negative association between WFC and well-being. All four recovery experiences were positively related to well-being, with relaxation emerging as the strongest predictor. Mediation analyses showed that each of the recovery experiences partially mediated the relationship between WFC and well-being. These findings highlight the importance of recovery as a psychological buffer in the context of elevated work-family interference. Organizational practices that foster recovery-such as encouraging psychological detachment, offering flexible schedules, and promoting restorative activities-may contribute to sustaining employee mental health and resilience.