When managers matter : rethinking balance, engagement, and performance in sales roles

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Gounaris, Spiros and Almoraish, Ahmed (2026) When managers matter : rethinking balance, engagement, and performance in sales roles. European Management Journal. ISSN 0263-2373 (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.emj.2026.04.005)

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Abstract

This study offers a relational and vocationally grounded perspective on family–work balance (FWB), emphasizing the combined influence of individual dispositions and managerial practices on perceptions of balance and work outcomes. Drawing on agency theory and vocational fit theory, we reconceptualize FWB as a co-constructed experience shaped by personal constraints and structural organizational factors. Using survey data from salespeople in the UK and Greece, we develop and validate multidimensional scales for perceived FWB and its barriers. Structural equation modeling shows that perceived FWB improves job satisfaction, which in turn boosts sales performance and enhances the effectiveness of human resource management efforts, including employee engagement and productivity, while also decreasing intentions to leave the company. This underscores the motivational importance of feeling supported in balancing work and family roles. Our findings advance a broader, more actionable framework for FWB, recognizing the vital role of managers as active agents in fostering sustainable work environments.

ORCID iDs

Gounaris, Spiros ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1328-8512 and Almoraish, Ahmed;
CORE (COnnecting REpositories)