Work–Family Conflict and Proactive Career Behaviors: The Roles of Career Resilience and Conscientiousness

Proactive career behaviors are critical for employee development, especially in today’s uncertain environment. This study explores the impact of work–family conflict on proactive career behaviors, focusing on the mediating role of career resilience and the moderating role of conscientiousness, grounded in the conservation of resources theory. Using two-wave data from 169 employees in China, the results show that work–family conflict leads to a decrease in proactive career behaviors, with career resilience serving as a mediator. Additionally, conscientiousness intensifies the negative effects of work–family conflict on proactive career behaviors. This research provides an initial investigation into the link between work–family conflict and proactive career behaviors, offering practical implications for human resource management and career counseling.