Nwachukwu-Ofoegbu, Nelly C.
(2025)
Exploring the impact of work-family conflict on workplace safety and well-being (a case study of the Nigerian oil and gas industry).
PhD thesis, University of Nottingham.
Abstract
This mixed-methods study examines the antecedents, consequences, and moderating factors of work–family conflict (WFC) in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry, with a focus on employee well-being, engagement, and safety behaviour. Guided by the Job Demands–Resources (JD-R) model and Conservation of Resources (COR) theory, the research was conducted in two sequential phases.
Phase 1 involved semi-structured interviews with 25 purposively selected employees (16 males, 9 females) across field, safety, administrative, and supervisory roles in both onshore and offshore operations. Participants had at least two years’ industry experience in positions where safety and family demands intersect. Data were thematically analysed using Braun and Clarke’s (2006) six-step method, with NVivo software and inter-coder reliability checks enhancing analytical rigour.
Phase 2 employed a cross-sectional survey of 525 employees from multiple oil and gas firms, recruited via purposive and snowball sampling. Validated scales measured WFC, family-to-work conflict (FWC), job autonomy, supportive manager behaviour (SMB), work engagement, well-being, and safety performance. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to validate constructs, while structural equation modelling (SEM) tested hypothesised relationships, including mediation and moderation effects.
Results showed that high job and family demands significantly predicted WFC, which in turn reduced engagement and safety participation. WFC dimensions (work-to-family conflict and family-to-work conflict) partially mediated the relationships between work and family demands and safety performance. Quantitative results also showed that being older and female was associated with higher safety participation and compliance, offering nuanced insights into demographic effects in the Nigerian context. Furthermore, supportive managerial behaviour moderated the effects of WFC on safety, well-being, and engagement.
The study positions WFC as a critical workplace psychosocial risk, emphasising the importance of reducing WFC to enhance safety and well-being. Findings underscore the value of supportive leadership, job redesign, and culturally relevant interventions in mitigating WFC’s adverse effects. Methodologically, using a sequential mixed-methods design and multi-source validation strengthens the reliability of results. Overall, the research advances theoretical understanding of WFC in high-risk industries and offers actionable guidance for policy and practice in Nigeria and similar contexts.
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