The effects of burnout and supervisory social support on the relationship between work-family conflict and intention to leave: A study of Australian cancer workers

Purpose: The aim of this paper is to examine the effects of burnout and supervisory social support on the relationship between work-family conflict, and intention to leave of cancer workers in an Australian health care setting. Design/methodology/approach: Data collected from a public hospital of 114 cancer workers were used to test a model of the consequences of work-family conflict. The strength of the indirect effects of work-family conflict on intention to leave via burnout will depend on supervisor support was tested by conducting a moderated mediation analysis. Findings: Path analytic tests of moderated mediation supported the hypothesis that burnout mediates the relationship between work-family conflict (i.e. work-in-family conflict and family-in-work) and intention to leave the organisation and that the mediation framework is stronger in the presence of higher social supervisory support. Implications are drawn for theory, research and practice. Originality/value: This study applies the innovative statistical technique of moderated mediation analysis to demonstrate that burnout mediates the relationship between work-family conflict and intention to leave the organisation and that the mediation framework is stronger in the presence of lower social supervisory support. In the context of the continued shortage of many clinician groups theses results shed further light on the appropriate course of action for hospital management