The value of mixed methods work-family research for human resource management: a review and agenda

Abstract

Managing the work-family interface is increasingly strategic for international human resource management (HRM) in attracting and retaining a diverse workforce. Yet despite growing methodological sophistication in the field work-family research still lacks a truly global approach, one that considers alternative work and family conceptualisations, particularly those from the so-called Global South. This article addresses these shortcomings by proposing mixed methods research (MMR), rather than a single method (quantitative or quantitative only), to offer a dual analytical lens which can deepen and broaden our understanding of work-family issues in and across diverse and multinational contexts. We critically review the methodological features of 40 work-family studies that used MMR, revealing the need for stronger integration. Then, through a thematic analysis of the reviewed articles, we highlight three distinct ways in which MMR adds value to the field: grounding empirical work and theorising within context, improving appropriateness of measurement instruments, and enhancing validity of inferences for relevant HRM practices. We conclude with an agenda for future mixed methods work-family research and present implications for human resource managers and work-family scholars in an increasingly competitive and changing international employment milieu.

Supplemental data for this article is available online at https://doi.org/10.1080/09585192.2021.1964092 .

Keywords:

• Work-family
• mixed methods research
• context
• diverse workforce
• Global South
• HRM policies

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Associate Editor Dr Sandra Fisher for generous editorial guidance on this article as it developed during the review process. We are also grateful for the comments and suggestions from the four anonymous reviewers which were valuable in improving the article. Our appreciation goes to Ines Meyer for providing helpful feedback on a draft of this article.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Data availability statement

The authors confirm that the data supporting the findings of this study are available within the article and/or its supplementary materials.