With the changing demographics of the labor force, management of work and family role boundaries has become an important area of research. However, the literature surrounding boundary theory – one of the most prevalent theories of work–family role management – has evolved too narrowly. Although early boundary theory development acknowledged the importance of higher level social institutions, they have been largely omitted from the current research, which is predominantly individual-focused. The present article further develops the role of international regulative institutions in managing work and family role boundaries, including the consequences of their omission in the current literature for individual employees, organizations and the fit between them.