Idiosyncratic deals and work-to-family conflict and enrichment: The mediating roles of fit perceptions and efficacy beliefs

Idiosyncratic deals (i-deals), which involve personalised work arrangements negotiated between employees and their managers, offer a promising approach to accommodating the demands of a diverse workforce. In contrast with the traditional social exchange theory perspective, we integrate the theories of person–environment fit and self-efficacy to examine the effect of flexibility i-deals on both work-to-family conflict and enrichment. We specifically consider two mediating mechanisms: needs–supplies (N-S) fit and family-role efficacy. Results from two Chinese samples reveal that supervisor-rated flexibility i-deals relate positively with employees' family-role efficacy and N-S fit. These, in turn, relate to work-to-family conflict negatively and to work-to-family enrichment positively. Monte Carlo bootstrapping analyses confirm the indirect effects of N-S fit and family-role efficacy. By using an alternative theoretical perspective, we add to our understanding of the mechanisms underlying the i-deals effect. This study expands existing i-deals research to an empirically underrepresented area: work–family enrichment. Our findings also confirm the work–family benefits of i-deals and strengthen managers' confidence regarding the merits of implementing i-deals in the workplace.