Research Objective - This conceptual study aims to investigate how work-from-home (WFH) intensity relates to emotional exhaustion via family-to-work conflict (FWC) and whether integration preference moderates the relationship between WFH intensity and FWC.

Research Methods - Drawing upon the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) theory, work-family boundary theory, and person-environment fit theory, this study constructs a first-stage moderated mediation model. A cross-sectional survey design will be employed to collect data from 500 full-time employees in China, comprising office-based, hybrid, and fully remote workers.

Expected Results - FWC is expected to serve as a mediating mechanism linking WFH intensity to emotional exhaustion. Integration preference is anticipated to moderate the relationship between WFH intensity and FWC; specifically, higher levels of integration preference may attenuate the positive association between WFH intensity and FWC.

Novelty - By incorporating individual boundary preferences into the relationship between WFH intensity and FWC, this study extends the JD-R perspective and highlights work-family boundary conditions as critical contextual mechanisms in remote work. The framework also provides a theoretical basis for understanding individual differences in the WFH experiences of Chinese employees.

Type of Paper - Conceptual Framework and Study Proposal

Keywords: work-from-home; family-to-work conflict; emotional exhaustion; integration preference; Work-Family Border Theory; Job Demands-Resources theory; China

JEL Classification: M12; M54

URI: https://gatrenterprise.com/GATRJournals/GJBSSR/vol14.3_3.html

DOI: https://doi.org/10.35609/gjbssr.2026.14.3(3)

Pages 109–120