The relationship between work-family conflict, transformational leadership and job performance in an internet company in Beijing, China

This study explores the relationship between work-family conflict (WFC), transformational leadership (TL), and job performance (JP) among employees in an internet company in Beijing, China. In the unique high-pressure environment of China’s internet industry, the “big-small week” schedule—where employees work five days one week and six days the next, with the cycle repeating and no overtime pay—significantly contributes to work-family conflict (WFC), which may influence employee performance. Leadership style, particularly transformational leadership, is also recognized as a key factor in shaping employee outcomes. A quantitative cross-sectional survey was conducted using stratified random sampling, yielding 171 valid responses from 300 employees. Established measurement scales were adopted to assess WFC, TL, and JP (including task performance and contextual performance). Data analysis was conducted using SPSS, including reliability testing, correlation, and multiple regression analyses. The findings revealed that both WFC and TL show significant positive relationships with job performance. Interestingly, in this high-pressure internet work context, a higher level of WFC was associated with stronger job performance, indicating a unique dynamic in such environments. This study contributes to the literature by highlighting the unexpected positive link between WFC and JP, while reaffirming the importance of transformational leadership. Practical implications suggest thatorganizations should balance workload demands with leadership practices that inspire and motivate employees to perform effectively