The Origin, Growth, and Future of Work–Family Research

The intersection of work and family remains one of the most fascinating—and complex—elements of employees’ lives, with societal shifts continuing to push management scholars to deepen our understanding of the nexus between these two domains. Here, we curate research from the journals of the Academy of Management that highlight the genesis, development, and future of work–family research. We document the role that the journals in the Academy of Management have served in guiding this field of research, specifically in being the home of the formative theoretical works on work–family conflict and work–family enrichment. Additionally, we outline the nuanced approaches that have shaped our understanding of work and family through qualitative approaches, while also highlighting areas in which scholars can benefit from research on work–family occurring in the field of management more broadly. After curating our set of articles, we articulate two primary aims to guide work–family researchers going forward: increased theoretical precision (e.g., better demarcating work–family and work–nonwork) and the consideration of additional work–family phenomena (e.g., divorce, bereavement). We conclude with practical takeaways for employees, managers, and policymakers.