Toward sustainability: mechanism between work–family balance and fertility intention with decent work as the mediating role

Abstract The relationship between work and family is essential to sustainability, affecting the fertility intention and fertility behavior of childbearing age. This study aims to explore the following research questions to fill the research gaps: (1) Can WFB improve individuals’ fertility intentions (FI)? (2) How does DW affect individuals’ FI? Drawing on the job demands-resources theory (JD-R) and life history theory, we have developed a theoretical framework of work–family balance (WFB), decent work (DW), fertility intention (FI), organizational support (OS), and family support (FS). Data was collected through a questionnaire in China, and hypotheses were tested. We find that WFB significantly and positively affects DW; DW significantly positively affects FI; WFB significantly influences FI, and DW is a mediator between WFB and FI. However, OS and FS have no significant moderating effects on WFB and DW. The theoretical implications of this study are that it preliminarily explores the spillover effects of DW on family life, enriching the research on DW. The findings can be applied to formulating government policies on fertility support, human resource management practices, and personal work–family development.