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Study: Family Life Makes You A Better Boss

By News Jan 21, 2021 | 8:08 AM

Thanks to COVID, many of us have spent more time at home over the last year. And it turns out, for working parents, the extra hours with the kids may come with some unexpected benefits. According to a new study, increased quality time with the family can pay off at work. Research from the University of Georgia reveals the positive interactions we have with our kids during our off hours can make us better leaders.

For the study, researchers looked at two sets of managers to measure if they had positive experiences with their families, which include things like laughing together and working on household projects as a family after work. They also looked at leadership practices and used surveys to see how the managers interact with employees. And researchers found that people who have these regular, positive events with their families feel more connected with their kids and satisfied with their home life, so the next day, they’re more motivated to help their employees.

What makes this study stand out is that previous research on this subject looked at how negatively family life impacts a person at work. This research shines a new light on the positive relationship between work and family. “I think we focus so much on the negative things about work-family balance or the demands of a family—people need to meet these family demands, so that’s why sometimes they couldn’t perform well at work,” explains lead study author Szu Han “Joanna” Lin. “But one thing I think is important to know is that leaders could be more effective because of their family life.”

Source: University of Georgia