Professor Zhang Hong Receives the Rosabeth Moss Kanter Award 2025 for Engaged in Work-Family Relationship Research

We are excited to share that Prof. Zhang Hong, Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Management, and her research team have received the prestigious Rosabeth Moss Kanter Award for Excellence in Work-Family Research 2025 for their pioneering study in the field of work-family dynamics. This international award, conferred by Purdue University’s Centre for Families and Boston College’s Centre for Work and Family, recognises the most outstanding interdisciplinary contributions to work-family research.

Pioneering Study on Work-Family Dynamics

Published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, the award-winning study examines how work-family interactions shape personality traits, particularly during midlife and later adulthood. The research was conducted by Prof Zhang in collaboration with an esteemed team of scholars:

• Prof Li Wendong, Associate Professor, Department of Management, Chinese University of Hong Kong
• Prof Wang Jiexin, Assistant Professor, Shenzhen Audencia Financial Technology Institute, WeBank Institute of Fintech, Shenzhen University
• Prof Tammy Allen, Professor, Department of Psychology, University of South Florida
• Prof Zhang Xin, Assistant Professor, Department of Human Resource Management, Shanghai University of Finance and Economics
• Yu Kaili, PhD candidate, Department of Management, Chinese University of Hong Kong
• Prof Jason L. Huang, Professor, School of Human Resources and Labor Relations, Michigan State University
• Liu Mengqiao, Senior Research Scientist, Amazon
• Prof Andrew Li, Professor, Department of Management, West Texas A&M University

Key Research Findings
The study examines how interactions between the key life domains - work and family - influence personality development in midlife and beyond. It explores how work-to-family conflict and facilitation, and family-to-work conflict and facilitation, impact the development of personality traits such as conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism through changes in anxiety. The research draws on two datasets from the United States: The Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) study and the Health and Retirement (HRS) Study, and the findings indicate that the continued accumulation of negative work–family experiences increase individuals' changes of neuroticism significantly, weakening their changes of extraversion; conversely, positive work–family experiences can gradually alleviate neurotic tendencies and enhance individuals' extraversion traits.

Research Relevance to Hong Kong & the Greater Bay Area (GBA)

Prof. Zhang emphasized the real-world significance of these findings, particularly for Hong Kong and the GBA, where fast-paced work environments and evolving economic landscapes affect professionals’ psychological well-being. She advocates for flexible work arrangements, family-supportive policies, and workplace interventions that reduce long-term neuroticism, enhance resilience, and foster a healthy work-family balance. These measures are crucial for sustaining an innovative and competitive workforce across the diverse cultural and economic landscape of the region.

A Message from Professor Zhang Hong

"Receiving the Rosabeth Moss Kanter Award is a tremendous honor and a testament to the dedication and collaborative spirit of our research team. I extend my sincere gratitude to the Department of Management and the Faculty of Business at Lingnan University for their unwavering support. This recognition motivates me to continue conducting research that bridges theoretical insights with practical applications, benefiting professionals navigating work-family challenges."

About the Rosabeth Moss Kanter Award
Established in 2000 by Purdue University’s Centre for Families and Boston College’s Centre for Work and Family, the Rosabeth Moss Kanter Award is one of the most prestigious honors in work-family research. With over 5,000 articles from 60+ academic journals reviewed annually, it celebrates exceptional scholarship that shapes academic and workplace practices globally.

To learn more about this award-winning study, visit the Lingnan Scholars platform.