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Pohlig, Matthias, Sabine Israel & Irene Dingeldey (2022): Does the household context matter for job satisfaction among low-wage workers? In: Economic and Industrial Democracy, Jg. 43, H. 3, S. 1028-1058. DOI:10.1177/0143831X20975865

Abstract

"Previous research has established that low-wage earners have on average lower job satisfaction. However, several studies have found personal characteristics, such as gender, age and educational level, moderate this negative impact. This article demonstrates additional factors at the household level, which have not yet been empirically investigated, and which may exacerbate gender differences. The authors analyse the job satisfaction of low-wage earners depending on the contribution of individual earnings to the household income and on household deprivation using the 2013 special wave of the EU-SILC for 18 European countries. The study finds that single earners in low-wage employment report lower job satisfaction whereas low-wage employment does not seem to make a difference for secondary earners. Furthermore, low-wage earners? job satisfaction is linked with the ability of their household to make ends meet." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Schlägel, Christopher, Robert L. Engle & Guido Lang (2022): The unique and common effects of emotional intelligence dimensions on job satisfaction and facets of job performance: an exploratory study in three countries. In: The International Journal of Human Resource Management, Jg. 33, H. 8, S. 1562-1605. DOI:10.1080/09585192.2020.1811368

Abstract

"Previous empirical studies have either used a unidimensional or a multidimensional analytical approach to examine the consequences of emotional intelligence (EI). In this exploratory study we integrate and extend these two approaches, using a novel perspective to better understand the structure of the EI-job satisfaction and the EI-job performance relationship. Using commonality analysis and data from Germany, India, as well as the U.S. we partition the explained variance for job satisfaction, in- role performance, and extra-role performance into the variance that is uniquely explained by the individual EI dimensions and the variance that is common to sets of EI dimensions. We provide evidence that the EI dimensions are differently related to job satisfaction and job performance facets. Furthermore, the findings offer insights on how unique and common effects vary across countries. Partitioning the unique and commonly shared variance allows us to assess the true predictive power of individual EI dimensions and of sets of EI dimensions. Based on these findings, we discuss implications for theory development and provide future research directions." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Soboleva, Natalia (2022): The determinants of the link between life satisfaction and job satisfaction across Europe. In: The international journal of sociology and social policy, Jg. 42, H. 11/12, S. 1180-1198. DOI:10.1108/IJSSP-06-2021-0152

Abstract

"Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore the effect of work values and socio-demographic characteristics upon the link between life satisfaction and job satisfaction. Design/methodology/approach: The European Values Study (EVS) 2008–2009 is used as the dataset. The sample is limited to those who have paid jobs (28,653 cases). Findings: Socio-demographic characteristics matter more than work values in explaining the effect of job satisfaction on life satisfaction. The association between life satisfaction and job satisfaction is stronger for higher educated individuals and those who are self-employed and weaker for women, married individuals, religious individuals and those who are younger. Extrinsic and intrinsic work values significantly influence life satisfaction independent of the level of job satisfaction. Practical implications It is important to pay attention to the working conditions and well-being of the core of the labour force, in other words, of those who are ready to invest more in their jobs. Also, special attention should be given to self-employment. Originality/value: The paper compares the roles of work values and of socio-demographic characteristics as predictors of the association between job satisfaction and life satisfaction. It shows that the role of job in person's life depends largely on demographic factors, religiosity and socio-economic factors." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © Emerald Group) ((en))

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Tansel, Aysit (2022): Job Satisfaction, Structure of Working Environment and Firm Size. (IZA discussion paper 15397), Bonn, 27 S.

Abstract

"Employees' wellbeing is important to the firms. Analysis of job satisfaction may give insight into various aspect of labor market behavior, such as worker productivity, absenteeism and job turn over. Little empirical work has been done on the relationship between structure of working environment and job satisfaction. This paper investigates the relationship between working environment, firm size and worker job satisfaction. We use a unique data of 28,240 British employees, Workplace Employee Relations Survey. In this data set the employee questionnaire is matched with the employer questionnaire. Four measures of job satisfaction considered are satisfaction with influence over job, satisfaction with amount of pay, satisfaction with sense of achievement and satisfaction with respect from supervisors. They are all negatively related to the firm size implying lower levels of job satisfaction in larger firms. The firm size in return is negatively related to the degree of flexibility in the working environment. The small firms have more flexible work environments. This is the first study that explore the effect of work amenities. We further find that, contrary to the previous results lower levels of job satisfaction in larger firms can not necessarily be attributed to the inflexibility in their structure of working environment." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Weiss, David, Mona Weiss, Cort W. Rudolph & Hannes Zacher (2022): Tough times at the top: Occupational status predicts changes in job satisfaction in times of crisis. In: Journal of vocational behavior, Jg. 139. DOI:10.1016/j.jvb.2022.103804

Abstract

"How do individuals with a higher versus lower occupational status experience major, unexpected changes to their work life? The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted most areas of work life and, thus, provides a unique opportunity to examine changes in work attitudes in response to a worldwide crisis. We predict that individuals with higher, but not with lower occupational status showed a decline in job satisfaction during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany (1st lockdown; March to May 2020), with subsequent recovery to initial job satisfaction levels. Based on role theory and social-psychological theories of hierarchical differentiation, we argue that, due to the profound work-related changes, individuals with higher (vs. lower) occupational status are more negatively affected in realizing their work goals and, thus, experience decreasing levels of job satisfaction. To test these predictions, we investigated trajectories of job satisfaction between December 2019 and August 2020 (7 measurement waves; N = 1583). Results of piece-wise growth curve models showed that individuals with higher occupational status showed a steeper decline in job satisfaction (followed by recovery) over time, whereas individuals with medium and lower occupational status did not experience a significant change in job satisfaction. In addition, we show that the decline in job satisfaction is moderated by perceived constraints at work associated with the pandemic among individuals with higher occupational status. Overall, these findings contribute to our understanding of the link between occupational status and job satisfaction in times of crisis." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © 2022 Elsevier) ((en))

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Weltzien, Dörte, Jesper Hohagen, Laura Kassel, Denise Pasquale & Charlotta Wirth (2022): Wissenschaftlicher Abschlussbericht: Gewinnung von Nachwuchs – Bindung der Profis. Evaluation des Bundesprogramms "Fachkräfteoffensive" (GeBiFa). (Fachkräfteoffensive Erzieherinnen und Erzieher), Freiburg, 387 S.

Abstract

"Der Abschlussbericht stellt die Evaluationsergebnisse der verschiedenen Programmbereiche der „Fachkräfteoffensive“ vor. Aus diesen leitete das Evaluationsteam Handlungsempfehlungen ab. Mit dem Programmbereich 1 „praxisintegrierte vergütete Ausbildung“ soll pädagogischen Fachkräften der Berufseinstieg erleichtert werden. Die Evaluationsergebnisse zeigen: Durch das Ausbildungsformat werden neue Bewerberinnen und Bewerber für das Arbeitsfeld gewonnen. Der Programmbereich 2 wurde entwickelt, um die Qualität der Ausbildungspraxis durch professionelle „Praxisanleitung“ zu sichern. Die Evaluation zeigt: die Praxisanleitungen übernehmen ein hohes Maß an Verantwortung am Lernort Praxis, als Vorbild für die Auszubildenden und bei der Kooperation mit der Fachschule. Sie nehmen eine zentrale Rolle für das Gelingen der praxisintegrierten Ausbildung ein. Mit dem Programmbereich 3 „Perspektive mit Aufstiegsbonus“ soll durch den Erwerb von Zusatzqualifikationen die Bindung von Fachkräften erhöht werden. Die Ergebnisse der Evaluation zeigen, dass der Aufstiegsbonus grundsätzlich eine neue Möglichkeit zur Fachkräftebindung darstellt. Die Arbeitszufriedenheit der Bonusfachkräfte stieg an." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

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Wiedner, Jonas (2022): Political and Social Consequences of Qualification Mismatches: A Bounding Approach to Status Inconsistency. In: Social forces, Jg. 101, H. 1, S. 150-175. DOI:10.1093/sf/soab120

Abstract

"Many employees work in jobs that do not match their level of formal education. Status inconsistency theory (SIT) argues that such mismatches result in stress, dissatisfaction, political alienation, and social withdrawal. Status inconsistency may, therefore, pose a threat to social cohesion. However, extant SIT scholarship does not fully appreciate the consequences of an identification problem due to the perfect collinearity among the effects of occupation, education, and their mismatch. I review the literature and show that prior findings depend on implicit theoretical assumptions that are often implausible once spelled out. To overcome this problem, I propose a new approach to the study of mismatches that builds on recent advances in the modeling of age, period, and cohort effects. I demonstrate how a set of relatively weak assumptions that are transparently grounded in sociological theory allows for (partial) identification of mismatch effects. The empirical analysis draws on comparable large-scale survey data from the United Kingdom (UKLHS) and Germany (GSOEP), two countries with a very different institutional organization of education to job matching. Compared with previous research, I use theoretically justified identifying assumptions and provide more rigorous evidence by addressing non-random selection into mismatch. Constrained regression models show mismatch effects on work-related identities, satisfaction, and organizational integration. Contra SIT, my results suggest that the effects of mismatches do not arise from cognitive dissonance but from an expectation formation mechanism. I find only weak evidence that mismatch effects spill over into the political domain. Despite large institutional differences, the results are similar across countries." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Wikström, Ewa, Karin Allard, Rebecka Arman, Roy Liff, Daniel Seldén & Roland Kadefors (2022): Organisational Capability for Delayed Retirement. In: H. F. Erhag, U. L. Nilsson, T. R. Sterner & I. Skoog (Hrsg.) (2022): ¬A¬ Multidisciplinary Approach to Capability in Age and Ageing, S. 221-232. DOI:10.1007/978-3-030-78063-0_16

Abstract

"Throughout the industrialised world, societies are ageing. These demographic changes have created a political and societal focus on an extended working life. Unfortunately, there is a lack of systematic knowledge about how such changes can be successfully implemented within organisations. In this chapter, we discuss this lacuna and specifically focus on organisational capability. We highlight workplace conditions and practices that may inhibit or promote the retention of workers beyond the previous norm for retirement. The novelty of an organisational capability approach is that it highlights workplace conditions that enable older people to use their abilities to perform acts of value and to achieve a better quality of life and greater participation in society. Workplace resources, capabilities and functions form a dynamic pattern. Factors that influence the work abilities of older workers are related in complex interactions and not merely in the format of simple cause and effect. When looking at retirement from the perspective of older workers, we have focused on aspects such as the individual’s ability to control the retirement process. Central to Sen’s idea is that individuals have different conversion factors, which means that, even though two individuals may have access to the same resources, they do not necessarily have the capability to enjoy the same functions. For example, the probability that an older person will remain employed will partially depend on his or her health, human capital and type of job. But two seemingly similar individuals can nevertheless have very different chances of remaining employed because their employer has implemented very different age management policies, or simply because they have different attitudes towards older workers. Since organisational capability makes it possible to focus on the interaction between the individual’s resources and preferences and the opportunity structure existing at the workplace (meso level) and embodied in the retirement system (macro level), much of the discussion and many of the policies and practices concerning older people can be related to the concept of capabilities." (Author's abstract, © Springer) ((en))

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Wilcox, Annika & Amanda Koontz (2022): Workplace well-being: Shifting from an individual to an organizational framework. In: Sociology Compass, Jg. 16, H. 10. DOI:10.1111/soc4.13035

Abstract

"Well-being (or lack thereof) is one phenomena that is shaped by and has important implications for organizational (in)equalities, yet remains widely conceptualized at an individual level. Through a review of previous research on organizational inequality and diversity, we argue for a shift towards studying “workplace well-being”—well-being as created by and through work organizations. We identify and discuss three pillars of workplace well-being and consider how these pillars are constituted across three levels of analysis. We note that “workplace well-being” offers a more theoretically- and empirically-grounded framework for understanding how well-being operates in the workplace. This concept can be utilized to “check” where organizational change is needed and develop change initiatives that better support diversity, inclusivity, and equity." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, Published by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons) ((en))

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Zoch, Gundula, Ann-Christin Bächmann & Basha Vicari (2022): Reduced well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic - The role of working conditions. In: Gender, work & organization, Jg. 29, H. 6, S. 1969-1990., 2021-11-03. DOI:10.1111/gwao.12777

Abstract

"The COVID-19 pandemic has had diverse impacts on the employment conditions and family responsibilities of men and women. Thus, women and men were exposed to very different roles and associated challenges, which may have affected their well-being very differently. Using data from the National Educational Panel Study and its supplementary COVID-19 web survey for Germany (May–June 2020), we investigate gender differences in the relationship between working conditions and within-changes in subjective well-being. We systematically consider the household context by distinguishing between adults with and without younger children in the household. The results from multivariate change-score regressions reveal a decline in all respondents' life satisfaction, particularly among women with and without younger children. However, the greater reduction in women's well-being cannot be linked to systematic differences in working conditions throughout the pandemic. Kitagawa–Oaxaca–Blinder counterfactual decompositions confirm this conclusion. Further analyses suggest that women's caregiving role, societal concerns, and greater loneliness partly explain the remaining gender differences in altered satisfaction. From a general perspective, our results suggest important gender differences in social life and psychological distress at the beginning of the pandemic, which are likely to become more pronounced as the crisis has unfolded." (Author's abstract, © John Wiley & Sons, Inc.) ((en))

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Asuyama, Yoko (2021): Determinants of job interestingness: Comparison of Japan and other high-income countries. In: Labour Economics, Jg. 73. DOI:10.1016/j.labeco.2021.102082

Abstract

"Interest in a job enhances job satisfaction, learning, and task performance, and deters the job-holder from quitting. This paper quantifies the importance of the key determinants of job interestingness for the first time. It also explores the reasons why there are much fewer interesting jobs in Japan than in other high-income countries (H). Decomposition analyses are performed using the International Social Survey Programme and Japanese panel survey data. In both H and Japan, interest match and prosocial meaning of the job are two of the three most important predictors of job interestingness. The third top predictor is job autonomy in H, whereas in Japan it is relatedness (relationship with management and colleagues), implying that the most effective ways to make a job interesting vary across cultures and work organizations. The largest factor explaining the job interestingness gap between Japan and H is Japan's lower level of job autonomy, although promoting autonomy is a less effective way to enhance job interestingness in Japan." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © 2022 Elsevier) ((en))

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Bernhardt, Alexandra (2021): Coworking-Atmosphären. Zum Zusammenspiel von kuratierten Räumen und der Sicht der Coworkenden als raumhandelnde Subjekte. (Research), Wiesbaden: Springer, 512 S. DOI:10.1007/978-3-658-35888-4

Abstract

"Die Studie von Alexandra Bernhardt beschäftigt sich mit Coworking Spaces und ihren Atmosphären. Neben einer umfassenden Betrachtung der Rolle von Atmosphären wird die besondere Bedeutung von Gemeinschaft im Kontext dieser Arbeitsräume näher beleuchtet. Den Kern der Untersuchung bilden zwei Fallstudien in urbanen Coworking Spaces, wobei ein an der Ethnografie orientiertes, methodenplurales qualitatives Forschungsdesign verfolgt wird. Im Rahmen der Analyse wird zum einen betrachtet, was Coworking im Alltag und damit die neue Gemeinschaftlichkeit bei der Arbeit ausmacht: Dabei werden relevante Praktiken und Rituale, räumliche Arrangements und Atmosphären in ihrer Komposition herausgearbeitet. Zum anderen rücken die Coworkenden, ihr Raumhandeln und damit verbundene Haltungen näher in den Blick: Es wird aufgezeigt, wie sich die Nutzer*innen Coworking Spaces als Arbeits- und Gemeinschaftsräume erschließen und welche Rolle Atmosphären spielen. Zudem werden soziale Gebilde herausgestellt, die von den Coworkenden in Bezug auf ihren Coworking Space aufgegriffen werden und die den Coworking-Space-Alltag mitprägen. Auch werden Spannungen aufgedeckt, die aus einem Nebeneinander von Gemeinschafts- und Dienstleistungslogik entstehen, und der Umgang damit näher betrachtet." (Verlagsangaben, IAB-Doku)

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Binder, Martin & Ann-Kathrin Blankenberg (2021): Identity and Well-Being in the Skilled Crafts and Trades. (Working paper / The Levy Economics Institute 997), Annandale-on-Hudson, NY, 61 S.

Abstract

"We analyze the extent to which occupational identity is conducive to worker well-being. Using a unique survey dataset of individuals working in the German skilled crafts and trades, we use a novel occupational identity measure that captures identity more broadly than just referring to organizational identification and social group membership, but rather comprises personal and relational elements inherent in one's work. The latter are linked to significant social interactions a worker has in their job and the former to specific work characteristics of the work conducted itself. We find that higher job satisfaction is related to a stronger sense of occupational identity in our sample. This relationship is quite sizable and robust across model specifications, whereas income is not associated with job satisfaction in most models. Occupational identity is positively associated with a number of work characteristics, viz. task significance, task and skill variety, as well as social support, and our analysis shows that identity mediates the influence of these characteristics with regard to job satisfaction." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Binder, Martin & Ann-Kathrin Blankenberg (2021): Self-employment and Subjective Well-Being. (GLO discussion paper / Global Labor Organization 744), Essen, 34 S.

Abstract

"Self-employment contributes to employment growth and innovativeness and many individuals want to become self-employed due to the autonomy and exibility it brings. Using "subjective well-being" as a broad summary measure that evaluates an individual's experience of being self-employed, the chapter discusses evidence and explanations why self-employment is positively associated with job satisfaction, even though the self-employed often earn less than their employed peers, work longer hours and experience more stress and higher job demands. Despite being more satisfied with their jobs, the self-employed do not necessarily enjoy higher overall life satisfaction, which is due to heterogeneity of types of self-employment, as well as motivational factors, work characteristics and institutional setups across countries." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Clark, Andrew E., Maria Cotofan & Richard Layard (2021): Beyond income inequality: non-monetary rewards to work. In: Centrepiece. The Magazine of The Centre for Economic Performance, Jg. 26, H. 2, S. 26-28.

Abstract

"Discussion of income inequality focuses primarily on wages with limited consideration of the non-monetary rewards to work, not least the satisfaction that employees experience in doing their jobs. Andrew Clark, Maria Cotofan and Richard Layard use data on subjective wellbeing to reveal the full extent of UK labour market inequality." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Erdogan, Berrin & Talya N. Bauer (2021): Overqualification at Work: A Review and Synthesis of the Literature. In: Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior, Jg. 8, S. 259-283. DOI:10.1146/annurev-orgpsych-012420-055831

Abstract

"Both perceived and objective measures of employee overqualification can impact job attitudes, various workplace behaviors, and work relationships. Utilizing motivation and capability-based theoretical approaches, this review summarizes research regarding the antecedents (demographic influences, personality traits, relational influences, job characteristics) and outcomes (individual health and well-being, turnover intentions and turnover, job performance, organizational citizenship behaviors, interpersonal relationships, innovative behaviors, counterproductive work behaviors, and career success) of overqualification. In addition, we review work done to date regarding the moderators and mediators of these relationships. Finally, we offer future directions for research." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Ganserer, Angelika, Patrick Kampkötter & Susanne Steffes (2021): Arbeitszufriedenheit und Arbeitsbedingungen. (Bundesministerium für Arbeit und Soziales. Forschungsbericht 590), Berlin, 48 S.

Abstract

"Die Forschungsstudie "Arbeitsqualität und wirtschaftlicher Erfolg" zielt darauf, mögliche Zusammenhänge zwischen der Arbeitsqualität der Beschäftigten und dem wirtschaftlichen Erfolg von Betrieben zu untersuchen. Sie wird vom Bundesministerium für Arbeit und Soziales (BMAS) und vom Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB) getragen und vom IAB, vom Seminar für Allgemeine Betriebswirtschaftslehre und Personalwirtschaftslehre der Universität zu Köln, dem Lehrstuhl für Managerial Accounting der Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen und vom Zentrum für Europäische Wirtschaftsforschung (ZEW) durchgeführt. Es handelt sich um eine Längsschnittstudie, in der in vier Befragungswellen seit 2012 jeweils eine Betriebs- und eine Beschäftigtenbefragung durchgeführt wurde. Neben der Produktivität ist die Zufriedenheit von Beschäftigten mit ihrem Beruf und Arbeitsumfeld ein Qualitätsmaß von Arbeitgeber-Arbeitnehmer-Beziehungen, das stark im Fokus der Unternehmen steht. Im Sonderbericht „Arbeitszufriedenheit und Arbeitsbedingungen“ wird der Zusammenhang von psychologischen Erlebniszuständen und der Arbeitszufriedenheit untersucht." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

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Gross, Hellen P., Stefan Ingerfurth & Jurgen Willems (2021): Employees as reputation advocates: Dimensions of employee job satisfaction explaining employees’ recommendation intention. In: Journal of Business Research, Jg. 134, S. 405-413. DOI:10.1016/j.jbusres.2021.05.021

Abstract

"Reputation is a crucial asset for service organizations, in particular when actual service quality is hard to assess, e.g. in the context of hospitals. Employees and their recommendation intentions to other professionals and potential patients are crucial in the reputation building process. Against this background, we test with a quantitative-exploratory approach, for 1,022 employees in two German hospitals, how eleven dimensions of employees’ job satisfaction explain their recommendation intention on behalf of the hospital they work. Moreover, we explore this for different employee groups. Our results show that there are different employee job satisfaction dimensions explaining recommendation intention for different employee groups such as nurses, doctors, or employees in the administrative field. We frame our findings against the broad but scattered management literature that is relevant for job satisfaction and organizational reputation, and discuss implications for practice and further research." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © 2023 Elsevier) ((en))

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Grund, Christian & Katja Rebecca Tilkes (2021): Working Time Mismatch and Job Satisfaction. The Role of Employees' Time Autonomy and Gender. (IZA discussion paper 14732), Bonn, 36 S.

Abstract

"Evidence shows that working time mismatch, i.e. the difference between actual and desired working hours, is negatively related to employees’ job satisfaction. Using longitudinal data from the German Socio-Economic Panel, we examine the potential moderating effect of working time autonomy on this relation and we also consider the corresponding role of gender. First, individual fixed effects panel estimations reaffirm both the negative link of working hours mismatch and the positive relation of working time autonomy to employees’ job satisfaction. Second, our results show a positive moderating relation of working time autonomy on the link between mismatch and job satisfaction. Third, our analyses hint at gender-specific differences: particularly women seem to benefit from the moderation role of working time autonomy" (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Gueguen, Guillaume & Claudia Senik (2021): Adopting Telework. The causal impact of working from home on subjective well-being in 2020. (PSE working paper / Paris School of Economics 2021-65), Paris, 36 S.

Abstract

"Using the UK household longitudinal survey, we uncover a positive effect of work from home on life satisfaction, which is driven by partnered people and those without children at home. Concerning mental health, there is no average effect of telework, except for those living in rural areas, but this hides a dynamic evolution, as mental health initially deteriorates in the first months of telework, but improves after a period of adaptation, especially the feeling of being useful, of being a worthy person, and of being able to concentrate." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Isham, Amy, Simon Mair & Tim Jackson (2021): Worker wellbeing and productivity in advanced economies: Re-examining the link. In: Ecological economics, Jg. 184. DOI:10.1016/j.ecolecon.2021.106989

Abstract

"Labour productivity is a key concept for understanding the way modern economies use resources and features prominently in ecological economics. Ecological economists have questioned the desirability of labour productivity growth on both environmental and social grounds. In this paper we aim to contribute to ongoing debates by focusing on the link between labour productivity and worker wellbeing. First, we review the evidence for the happy-productive worker thesis, which suggests labour productivity could be improved by increasing worker wellbeing. Second, we review the evidence on ways that productivity growth may undermine worker wellbeing. We find there is experimental evidence demonstrating a causal effect of worker wellbeing on productivity, but that the relationship can also sometimes involve resource-intensive mediators. Taken together with the evidence of a negative impact on worker wellbeing from productivity growth, we conclude that a relentless pursuit of productivity growth is potentially counterproductive, not only in terms of worker wellbeing, but even in terms of long-term productivity." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Jung, Franziska Ulrike, Susanne Röhr, Tobias Deutsch & Steffi G. Riedel-Heller (2021): Stadt vs. Land: Eine Querschnittsstudie zu Arbeitszufriedenheit und –belastung von jungen Ärzten in Sachsen. In: Das Gesundheitswesen, Jg. 83, H. 8/9, S. 632-838. DOI:10.1055/a-1173-9188

Abstract

"Ärztemangel und eine damit verbundene Unterversorgung der Patienten bedroht besonders ländliche, strukturschwache Regionen. Bisherige Studien konzentrieren sich auf Faktoren, die die Niederlassungsentscheidung auf dem Land begünstigen oder verhindern. Über Faktoren wie Arbeitszufriedenheit und Arbeitsbelastung und geografisch bedingte Unterschiede in Deutschland ist bisher wenig bekannt. Ziel der Studie war es diese Faktoren einem detaillierten Stadt-Land-Vergleich mittels einer sekundären Analyse von Surveydaten zu unterziehen. Hierfür konnten Daten von 1813 in Sachsen praktizierenden Ärzten (25–40 Jahre), welche postalisch kontaktiert wurden, analysiert werden. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass sich hinsichtlich der Arbeitszufriedenheit lediglich akzentuierte Unterschiede feststellen lassen. In Bezug auf Arbeitsbelastung lassen sich keine signifikanten Unterschiede zwischen Ärzten, die auf dem Land oder in der Stadt tätig sind, finden." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

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Justo, Raquel, Emilio Congregado & Concepción Román (2021): Becoming self-employed from inactivity: an in-depth analysis of satisfaction. In: Small business economics, Jg. 56, H. 1, S. 145-187. DOI:10.1007/s11187-019-00212-2

Abstract

"Inactive individuals represent a pool of potential labour whose activation entails economic and social advantages. Additionally, being active allows individuals to cover their basic psychological needs—autonomy, competence and relatedness—which leads to greater satisfaction through self-determination. We posit that self-employment may be an attractive alternative because its nonpecuniary aspects may suit their needs better. Using data from the European Community Household Panel, we applied propensity score matching techniques to analyse the change in satisfaction with main activity of inactive individuals becoming self-employed compared to those becoming employees and those remaining inactive. We further perform separate analyses for homemakers, retirees and students to account for heterogeneity within inactivity. We find that self-employment is associated with more satisfaction than remaining inactive in the case of retirees and homemakers, while students tend to experience a larger increase in satisfaction when entering self-employment compared to paid employment. The implications of these results for activation and entrepreneurship policies are discussed." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © Springer-Verlag) ((en))

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Khalil, Samir, Almuth Lietz & Sabrina Jasmin Mayer (2021): Overqualification as Moderator for the Link Between Job Changes and Job Satisfaction Among Immigrated and Native-born People in Germany. (SocArXiv papers), 32 S. DOI:10.31219/osf.io/q7nu2

Abstract

"Job satisfaction is a major driver of an individual’s subjective well-being and thus affects public health, societal prosperity, and organizations, as dissatisfied employees are less productive and more likely to change jobs. However, changing jobs does not necessarily lead to higher job satisfaction in the long run: instead, previous studies have shown that changing jobs only increases job satisfaction for a shorter period of time before it gradually falls back to similar levels as before. This phenomenon is known as the honeymoon-hangover pattern. In our study, we identify an important new moderator of the relation between job changes and job satisfaction: the job-education match of job change. Based on relative deprivation theory, we argue that a job change out of overqualification lowers the likelihood of negative comparisons and thus increases the honeymoon period and lessens the hangover. In addition, we investigate whether this moderating effect is weaker for immigrants, since the phenomenon of overqualification occurs more frequently among them. We use data from the Socio-Economic Panel ranging from 1994-2018 and focus specifically on individual-periods of employees before and after job changes (N=134,417). Our results confirm that a change to a qualificationadequate job has a stronger and longer-lasting effect on job satisfaction which is lower for respondents born abroad." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Martin, Albert & Luca Cardinali (2021): Soziographie der Arbeitszufriedenheit. (Schriften aus dem Institut für Mittelstandsforschung / Universität Lüneburg 61), Lüneburg, 246 S.

Abstract

"Der vorliegende Beitrag befasst sich mit der Soziographie der Arbeitszufriedenheit. In Studien zur Arbeitszufriedenheit werden soziographische Merkmale oft als Kontrollgrößen eingesetzt. Ihre Berücksichtigung bei der Datenanalyse soll die Frage beantworten, ob sich der Einfluss von Determinanten der Arbeitszufriedenheit (Arbeitsinhalte, Arbeitsbedingungen, persönliche Dispositionen usw.) für unterschiedliche Personengruppen und Situationen jeweils anders darstellt. Die Berücksichtigung von Kontrollgrößen macht aber nur dann Sinn, wenn diese selbst eine empirische Beziehung entweder zu den Determinanten der Arbeitszufriedenheit und/oder zu der Arbeitszufriedenheit selbst aufweisen. Dem vorliegenden Beitrag geht es um die Frage, ob sich Zusammenhänge zwischen bedeutsamen soziographischen Merkmalen und der Arbeitszufriedenheit aufzeigen lassen. Als Datengrundlage dienen die 35 Erhebungswellen des Sozioökonomischen Panels (SOEP) von 1984 bis 2018. Im Einzelnen betrachtet werden die Variablen Erwerbsstatus, Geschlecht, Alter, Schulabschluss, Hochschulabschluss, Berufsstatus, Betriebszugehörigkeit und Unternehmensgröße. Für die meisten dieser Größen ergeben sich, wenn überhaupt, nur sehr schwache statistische Beziehungen mit der Arbeitszufriedenheit. Eine Ausnahme macht der Berufsstatus. Die Qualifikationsanforderungen, die sich damit verknüpfen und die hierarchische Position haben einen beachtlichen Einfluss auf die Arbeitszufriedenheit. Bemerkenswert ist die große Stabilität der Befunde über alle Erhebungsjahre von 1984 bis 2018 hinweg." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

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Martin, Albert (2021): Verlaufsformen der Arbeitszufriedenheit. (Schriften aus dem Institut für Mittelstandsforschung / Universität Lüneburg 60), Lüneburg, 51 S.

Abstract

"Im vorliegenden Beitrag geht es um die Veränderung der Arbeitszufriedenheit und um die Identifikation von zeitlichen Verlaufsmustern der Arbeitszufriedenheit. Als Grundlage der Analyse dienen die Daten des Sozioökonomischen Panels aus mittlerweile 35 Erhebungswellen (1984 bis 2018). Die Analyse umfasst 3.345 Zeitreihen, die jeweils einen Zeitraum von 15 Jahren umspannen. Zur Typisierung der einzelnen Arbeitszufriedenheitsverläufe werden die Regressionsrechnung und die Clusteranalyse verwendet. Der Haupttypus folgt dem generellen Trend, wonach die Arbeitszufriedenheit, von einem mäßig hohen Niveau ausgehend, stagniert bzw. sich im Lauf der Zeit leicht vermindert. Es gibt daneben allerdings auch Fälle, die auf einem hohen Arbeitszufriedenheitsniveau verbleiben. Und auf der anderen Seite findet man nicht wenige Personen, deren Arbeitszufriedenheit im negativen Bereich verharrt. Eine weitere Gruppe wird von Personen gebildet, deren Arbeits-zufriedenheit relativ großen Schwankungen ausgesetzt ist. Von den soziographischen Variablen Alter, Geschlecht und Berufsstatus gehen keine nennenswerten Wirkungen aus. Eine gesonderte Betrachtung der Unternehmensgröße erbringt, dass Personen, die dauerhaft in einem Kleinbetrieb arbeiten, eine größere Arbeitszufriedenheit aufweisen als Personen in größeren Unternehmen. Neben der Darstellung der inhaltlichen Einsichten, die die Zeitreihenanalyse erbringt, erfolgt eine Diskussion über die Verwendung der Modellergebnisse für auf die Zukunft gerichtete Szenario-Analyse." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

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Merz, Joachim & Bettina Scherg (2021): Time, Income and Subjective Well-Being - 20 Years of Interdependent Multidimensional Polarization in Germany. (IZA discussion paper 14870), Bonn, 40 S.

Abstract

"Society drifts apart in many dimensions. Economists focus on income of the poor and rich and the distribution of income but a broader spectrum of dimensions is required to draw the picture of multiple facets of individual life. In our study of multidimensional polarization we extend the income dimension by time, a pre-requisite and fundamental resource of any individual activity. In particular, we consider genuine personal time as a pronounced source of social participation in the sense of social inclusion/exclusion and Amartya Sen's capability approach. With an interdependence approach to multidimensional polarization we allow compensation between time and income, parameters of a CES-type subjective well-being function, where a possible substitution is evaluated empirically by the German population instead of arbitrarily chosen. Beyond subjective well-being indices we propose and apply a new intensity/gap measure to multidimensional polarization, the mean minimum polarization gap 2DGAP. This polarization intensity measure provides transparency with regard to each single attribute, which is important for targeted policies, while at the same time their interdependent relations is respected. The empirical investigation of interdependent multidimensional polarization incidence and intensity uses the German Socio-Economic Panel (GSOEP) and detailed time use diary data from the three German Time Use Surveys (GTUS) 1991/92, 2001/02 and the actual 2012/13. We focus on the working individuals where the working poor requires increasing interest in the economic and social political discussion. The microeconometric two-stage selectivity corrected estimation of interdependent multidimensional risk (incidence) and intensity quantifies socio-economic factors behind. Four striking results appear: First, genuine personal leisure time additional to income is a significant subjective well-being and polarization dimension. Second, its interdependence, its compensation/substitution, ev" (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Nazareno, Luísa & Daniel S. Schiff (2021): The impact of automation and artificial intelligence on worker well-being. In: Technology in Society, Jg. 67. DOI:10.1016/j.techsoc.2021.101679

Abstract

"Discourse surrounding the future of work often treats technological substitution of workers as a cause for concern, but complementarity as a good. However, while automation and artificial intelligence may improve productivity or wages for those who remain employed, they may also have mixed or negative impacts on worker well-being. This study considers five hypothetical channels through which automation may impact worker well-being: influencing worker freedom, sense of meaning, cognitive load, external monitoring, and insecurity. We apply a measure of automation risk to a set of 402 occupations to assess whether automation predicts impacts on worker well-being along the dimensions of job satisfaction, stress, health, and insecurity. Findings based on a 2002–2018 dataset from the General Social Survey reveal that workers facing automation risk appear to experience less stress, but also worse health, and minimal or negative impacts on job satisfaction. These impacts are more concentrated on workers facing the highest levels of automation risk. This article encourages new research directions by revealing important heterogeneous effects of technological complementarity. We recommend that firms, policymakers, and researchers not conceive of technological complementarity as a uniform good, and instead direct more attention to mixed well-being impacts of automation and artificial intelligence on workers." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Nikolova, Milena, Boris Nikolaev & Christopher Boudreaux (2021): Being Your Own Boss and Bossing Others. The Moderating Effect of Managing Others on Work Meaning and Autonomy for the Self-Employed and Employees. (IZA discussion paper 14909), Bonn, 37 S.

Abstract

"We examine the moderating role of being a supervisor for meaning and autonomy of self-employed and employed workers. We rely on regression analysis applied after entropy balancing based on a nationally representative dataset of over 80,000 individuals in 30 European countries for 2005, 2010, and 2015. We find that being a self-employed supervisor is correlated with more work meaningfulness and autonomy compared with being a salaried supervisor working for an employer. Wage supervisors and self-employed supervisors experience similar stress levels and have similar earnings, though self- employed supervisors work longer hours. Moreover, solo entrepreneurs experience slightly less work meaningfulness, but more autonomy compared with self-employed supervisors. This may be explained by the fact that solo entrepreneurs earn less but have less stress and shorter working hours than self- employed supervisors." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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O'Higgins, Niall & Luis Pinedo Caro (2021): Crowdwork for Young People: Risks and Opportunities. (IZA discussion paper 14933), Bonn, 41 S.

Abstract

"In recent years, crowdworking has emerged as a small but rapidly growing source of employment and income principally for young(er) people. Here, we build on previous work in identifying the determinants of crowdworkers' earnings. We focus on the reasons why young crowdworkers earn significantly higher hourly wages than their older counterparts. We show that this is due to the higher returns to experience accruing to younger crowd-workers. Educational attainment does not explain this age-based differential, as education is a negligible factor in determining crowdworkers' earnings. We also analyse why young women earn around 20% less than their male counterparts despite blind hiring. We confirm that this is partly explained by constraints on working time faced by women with children. The analysis also shows that 'freely chosen' crowdwork - as opposed to, young people crowd-working because of a lack of alternative employment opportunities - is conducive to higher levels of job satisfaction. Moreover, young crowdworkers in middle income countries earn less than their counterparts in high income countries but report higher levels of job satisfaction. This is entirely attributable to the lower quality of their options outside of crowdwork." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Pagis, Michal (2021): Inhabiting the Self-Work Romantic Utopia: Positive Psychology, Life Coaching, and the Challenge of Self-Fulfillment at Work. In: Work and occupations, Jg. 48, H. 1, S. 40-69. DOI:10.1177/0730888420911683

Abstract

"Much has been said about the rise of work as a central identity marker in modern society. With the recent popularization of self-help and positive psychology, this identity marker broadened its signification to include new emotional needs such as love and passion, creating a new cultural imaginary: the “self-work romantic utopia.” Sociological studies have criticized this utopia as a myth that serves capitalist neoliberal structures, leading to frustration and self-blame. However, little is known about how workers themselves confront this myth and the strategies they employ when attempting to inhabit it in today’s precarious job market. Based on 60 in-depth interviews with upper-middle class Israeli workers who hired life coaches to improve their work experience, the author identifies five strategies used to inhabit this romantic utopia: starting over, healing, idealization, polygamy, and vision. Through the analysis of these strategies, the author illustrates how even the relatively privileged workers need to adapt the self-work romantic utopia to their life circumstances, inhabiting the myth in partial degrees. Such flexible implementation turns the “myth” into a cultural tool that directs workers’ lives and actions even in a precarious, unstable job market, maintaining subjective experiences of agency in a sphere characterized by growing structural constraints. Yet paradoxically, these strategies eventually strengthen the precarious, noncommitted, and individual-oriented structure of the job market, yielding flexible, individualistic solutions that replace workplace responsibility." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Parteka, Aleksandra, Joanna Wolszczak-Derlacz & Dagmara Nikulin (2021): How digital technology affects working conditions in globally fragmented production chains: evidence from Europe. (Working paper series A / GUT Faculty of Management and Economics 66), Gdańsk, 68 S.

Abstract

"This paper uses a sample of over 9.5 million workers from 22 European countries to study the intertwined effects of digital technology and cross-border production links on workers' wellbeing. We compare the social effects of technological change exhibited by three types of innovation: computerisation (software), automation (robots) and artificial intelligence (AI). To fully quantify work-related wellbeing, we propose a new methodology that corrects the information on remuneration by reference to such non-monetary factors as the work environment (physical and social), career development prospects, or work intensity. We show that workers' wellbeing depends on the type of technological exposure. Employees in occupations with high software or robots content face worse working conditions than those exposed to AI. The impact of digitalisation on working conditions depends on participation in global production. To demonstrate this, we estimate a set of augmented models for determination of working conditions, interacting technological factors with Global Value Chain participation. GVC intensification is accompanied by deteriorating working conditions - but only in occupations exposed to robots or software, not in AI-intensive jobs. In other words, we find that AI technologies differ from previous waves of technological progress - also in their impact on workers' wellbeing within global production structures." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Pita, Cristina & Ramón José Torregrosa (2021): The gender-job satisfaction paradox through time and countries. In: Applied Economics Letters, Jg. 28, H. 12, S. 1000-1005. DOI:10.1080/13504851.2020.1792402

Abstract

"Much has been written about the so-called gender-job satisfaction paradox, derived from the fact that a significant number of empirical studies found that women reported higher levels of job satisfaction than their male counterparts, although they had what were considered ‘worse’ jobs in terms of pay and other nonmonetary working conditions. In this article, we use a procedure to compare the relative performance of groups when their achievements are described by distributions of outcomes over an ordered set of categories, the Balanced Worth Vector (BWV), to analyse whether women consistently report to be more satisfied at work than men in different periods of time and countries. The BWV offers a cardinal, complete and transitive evaluation that is based in the likelihood of getting better results. In our setting, the BWV methodology provides a complete ranking of the countries covered by the European Working Conditions Survey according to the relative levels of job satisfaction with working conditions that women and men in each country report. Our results indicate a decreasing gender differential over time and substantial differences across countries, proving that the gender-gap paradox cannot be considered a widespread phenomenon." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Richardson, Nela & Sara Klein (2021): People at Work 2021: A Global Workforce View. Roseland, 48 S.

Abstract

"This report provides a starting point to understand the situation facing employees today across five dimensions of working life: worker confidence and job security; workplace conditions; pay and performance; worker mobility; and gender and family." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Avgoustaki, Argyro & Almudena Cañibano (2020): Motivational Drivers of Extensive Work Effort: Are Long Hours Always Detrimental to Well-being? In: Industrial Relations, Jg. 59, H. 3, S. 355-398. DOI:10.1111/irel.12263

Abstract

"Is extensive work effort always detrimental to professionals? well-being? We argue that the link between extensive work effort and well-being depends on the reasons why professionals work extended hours. Drawing on self-determination theory and data from an international consultancy firm, we show that extrinsically driven work effort is negatively related to well-being, while intrinsically driven work effort is positively related to well-being. A reinforcing effect seems to exist between the two types of motivators, revealing that intrinsically driven work effort has both a direct and an indirect link to well-being, mitigating the downsides of extrinsically driven work effort." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, Published by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons) ((en))

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Blankenberg, Ann-Kathrin & Martin Binder (2020): Zum beruflichen Selbstbild und zur Arbeits- und Lebenszufriedenheit im Handwerk in Deutschland. (Göttinger Beiträge zur Handwerksforschung 42), Göttingen, 29 S. DOI:10.3249/2364-3897-gbh-42

Abstract

"Die Arbeit im Handwerk unterscheidet sich von vielen anderen Berufen durch Arbeitsmerkmale, die stark prägend für das berufliche Selbstbild sind und außerdem positiv das Wohlbefinden der Arbeitnehmer beeinflussen können. Dazu zählt, dass Handwerker die Ergebnisse ihrer Arbeit sehen können, und sie die Möglichkeit haben, das gesamte Werkstück (und nicht nur einen kleinen Teil davon) eigenständig herzustellen. Dadurch nehmen sie ihre Arbeit als nützlich und sinnstiftend wahr. Angesichts von Untersuchungen, die zeigen, dass Arbeit in manchen Berufszweigen zunehmend als sinnlos empfunden wird, ist es von großer Bedeutung zu verstehen, welche Facetten der Arbeit die Schaffung einer starken beruflichen Identität ermöglichen, die dazu führt, dass Arbeit als sinnvoll und befriedigend erlebt wird. Die Studie hat dieses Forschungsziel und nutzt dafür eine deutschlandweite Umfrage im Handwerkssektor mit rund 2000 Teilnehmern. Der Fokus der Datenerhebung lag dabei darauf, einen Einblick in das berufliche Selbstbild und die Arbeitszufriedenheit der im deutschen Handwerk Beschäftigten zu erhalten. Diese zeichnen sich in der Befragung durch ein stark ausgeprägtes berufliches Selbstbild aus und identifizieren sich stark mit ihrer handwerklichen Tätigkeit. Dabei weisen Beschäftigte im Handwerk eine hohe Arbeitszufriedenheit auf. Die Arbeitszufriedenheit kann in Teilen mit der Ganzheitlichkeit der Arbeit, dem Fokus auf manuelle Tätigkeit, der Wahrnehmung der Sinnhaftigkeit der Tätigkeit sowie einer hohen wahrgenommenen Autonomie in Zusammenhang gebracht werden." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

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Böhlich, Susanne & Richard Axmann (2020): Generation Z: A comparative study of the expectations of Gen Z and the perception of employers. (IUBH discussion papers - Business & Management 2020,01), Erfurt, 15 S.

Abstract

"Employers currently encounter more and more members of Generation Z - who finished their school as well as university education - without knowing exactly what this generation wishes and needs. This paper verifies current assumptions about Generation Z with a quantitative study in Germany, consisting of two parts. As a first step, members of Generation Z (n = 103) were queried upon their work attitudes while in a second step, company representatives (n = 48) were asked about their assumptions on the adolescents' preferences. Thus, not only conclusions on young adults could be drawn, but also on the (lack of) knowledge about Generation Z of their employers. The prior assumption that the young generation would be difficult to employ inter alia due to their refusal of a work-life blending, lacking career orientation, and inability to take feedback could not be supported. In fact, Generation Z seems to be committed as well as motivated to work for their professional success. Employers showed a decent understanding of their young employees, though there seem to be a couple of misapprehensions." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Farja, Yanay & Ori Zax (2020): Efficiency Wages with Endogenous Monitoring. In: Economics Bulletin, Jg. 40, H. 1, S. 248-261.

Abstract

"In the standard efficiency wage model, the monitoring level chosen by firms is exogenous and observable. In this paper, the level of monitoring is endogenized—chosen by firms and unobserved by workers. As a result, firms have an incentive to decrease the monitoring of employees for any given beliefs among workers about the chosen level of monitoring. We show that sufficiently patient firms are able to retain some control over the monitoring level. We also show that high-tech firms monitor their workers more and demand a higher level of effort than do low-tech firms." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Ge, Qi, Eun Jung Jordan, Myongjin Kim & Leilei Shen (2020): Returns to job satisfaction in the presence of horizontal mismatch. In: Applied Economics, Jg. 52, H. 27, S. 2913-2930. DOI:10.1080/00036846.2019.1696941

Abstract

"In this paper, we study the relationship among horizontal mismatch, job satisfaction and wages using data from the 2013 Scientists and Engineers Statistical Data System (SESTAT). Estimates from 2SLS indicate that 1) field-occupation match in the highest degree has a positive effect on job satisfaction and wages; and 2) controlling for field-occupation matches, job satisfaction has a positive but diminishing effect on wages with a large heterogeneity across different age groups. In addition, we also distinguish between job satisfaction arising from benefits and job satisfaction that is productivity enhancing and find both to have a positive but nonlinear effect on wages." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Gerich, Joachim & Christoph Weber (2020): The Ambivalent Appraisal of Job Demands and the Moderating Role of Job Control and Social Support for Burnout and Job Satisfaction. In: Social indicators research, Jg. 148, H. 1, S. 251-280. DOI:10.1007/s11205-019-02195-9

Abstract

"Within an extended challenge–hindrance framework, it is assumed that job demands are subjectively appraised both as challenges (that is, as working conditions that are associated with potential personal gains) and hindrances (as working conditions associated with constrains) at the same time. In accordance with transactional stress theory, the association between demand intensity and work-related attitudes (work satisfaction) and psychological strain (burnout) is expected to be mediated by individual appraisal. Moreover, because curvilinear relationships between demand and challenge and hindrance appraisals are assumed, and appraisal is expected to be moderated by job control and social support, we tested complex nonlinear moderated mediation models for four types of job demands (task difficulty, time pressure, interruptions, and responsibility). Based on cross-sectional data of a heterogeneous sample of employees, we confirmed simultaneous challenge and hindrance appraisals. Challenge components are positively associated and hindrance components are negatively associated with favorable outcomes (higher work satisfaction and lower burnout). Challenge appraisals are found to be more relevant for work satisfaction, while hindrance appraisals are more relevant for burnout. The relationship between demand intensity and challenge appraisal is confirmed as curvilinear, whereas hindrance appraisals are approximately linearly related to demand intensity. The relationship between demand intensity and outcome variables is partly mediated by challenge and hindrance appraisal, and significant interaction effects suggest that the appraisal process is moderated by job control and social support." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © Springer-Verlag) ((en))

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Ghetta, Anja, Andreas Hirschi, Mo Wang, Jérôme Rossier & Anne Herrmann (2020): Birds of a feather flock together: How congruence between worker and occupational personality relates to job satisfaction over time. In: Journal of vocational behavior, Jg. 119. DOI:10.1016/j.jvb.2020.103412

Abstract

"Person–environment fit (P–E fit) and job satisfaction are key constructs in vocational and organizational research. Research established that they are positively related, but little is known about how they relate over time. We analyzed P–E fit as the congruence between the Big Five personality traits of a worker and of all job incumbents in the same occupation, and how this congruence relates to job satisfaction over time. Analyses were based on 7049 participants from the German Socio-Economic Panel from 2005, 2009, and 2013. We used latent change score modeling to assess changes in congruence and job satisfaction over eight years, and further created 3D response surface plots based on polynomial regression to investigate nonlinear relations between each Big Five trait and job satisfaction. Change in P–E fit was not related to simultaneous change in job satisfaction and did not predict subsequent change in job satisfaction. The surface analyses indicated that a worker's and an occupation's personality are primarily independently relevant for the level of job satisfaction and that effects differ for different personality traits." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © 2020 Elsevier) ((en))

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Goerke, Laszlo (2020): Unions and Workers' Well-being. (GLO discussion paper / Global Labor Organization 726), Essen, 25 S.

Abstract

"If individuals join a trade union their utility should increase. Therefore, union members can be expected to exhibit higher job satisfaction than comparable non-members. This expectation is not consistent with empirical findings. The evidence sometimes indicates that union members have lower job satisfaction, but overall suggests the absence of a robust correlation. This survey discusses empirically relevant determinants of the relationship between trade union membership and job satisfaction. It distinguishes settings in which a trade union provides public goods from those in which it restricts the provision of benefits to its members. Furthermore, the survey summarizes the empirical evidence and indicates possible future research issues." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Grund, Christian & Maike Rubin (2020): The Role of Employees' Age for the Relation between Job Autonomy and Sickness Absence. (IZA discussion paper 13945), Bonn, 27 S.

Abstract

"We investigate whether job autonomy is associated with employees' sickness absence. We can make use of the representative German Study of Mental Health at Work data. In line with our theoretical considerations, we do find evidence for an inverse relation between employees' job autonomy and days of sickness absence. This relation is only weakly mediated by job satisfaction and particularly relevant for more senior employees." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Hetschko, Clemens, Ronnie Schöb & Tobias Wolf (2020): Income Support, Employment Transitions and Well-Being. In: Labour Economics, Jg. 66, 2020-07-14. DOI:10.1016/j.labeco.2020.101887

Abstract

"Using specific panel data of German welfare benefit recipients, we investigate the non-pecuniary life satisfaction effects of in-work benefits. Our empirical strategy combines difference-in-difference designs with synthetic control groups to analyse transitions of workers between unemployment, regular employment and employment accompanied by welfare receipt. Working makes people generally better off than being unemployed but employed welfare recipients do not reach the life satisfaction level of regular employees. This implies that welfare receipt entails non-compliance with the norm to make one's own living. Our findings allow us to draw cautious conclusions on employment subsidies paid as welfare benefits." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © 2020 Elsevier) ((en))

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Nikolova, Milena & Femke Cnossen (2020): What Makes Work Meaningful and Why Economists Should Care about It. (IZA discussion paper 13112), Bonn, 31 S.

Abstract

"We demonstrate why meaningful work, i.e. job-related activities that individuals view as purposeful and worthwhile, matters to labour economists. Building on self-determination theory, which specifies the roles of autonomy, competence, and relatedness as preconditions for motivation, we are the first to explore the determinants of work meaningfulness. Specifically, using three waves of the European Working Conditions Survey, we show that autonomy, competence, and relatedness explain about 60 percent of the variation in work meaningfulness perceptions. Meanwhile, extrinsic factors, such as income, benefits, and performance pay, are relatively unimportant. Meaningful work also predicts absenteeism, skills training, and retirement intentions, which highlights the concept’s economic significance. We provide new insights that could help organise the future of work in a meaningful and dignifying way and propose concrete avenues for future research on meaningful work in economics." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Otten, Sina & Dorothea Alewell (2020): Incongruity between Work and Gender Roles: The Effects of Gender Stereotype Deviation on Job Satisfaction. In: Management revue, Jg. 31, H. 2, S. 206-231. DOI:10.5771/0935-9915-2020-2-206

Abstract

"We analyze the effects of deviation from gender stereotypes on job satisfaction for male and female employees in general and for employees in leadership positions. Based on social role theory, backlash mechanisms owing to the violation of gender norms and role incongruity theory, we expect that deviating from gender stereotypes negatively affects job satisfaction. We test our hypotheses by hierarchically applying multiple linear regressions to German employee data. Results show a stable negative effect of deviation from gender stereotypes on job satisfaction for women only. Our findings are consistent with recent studies that confirm traditional gender structures on the labor market and expand our knowledge about backlash effects, since they indicate that deviation from gender norms not only affects objective career indicators but also subjective ones. As job satisfaction is a predictor of organizational success, we discuss ways for organizations to reduce the harmful effects of persistent traditional gender stereotypes in workplaces." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Redmond, Paul & Seamus McGuinness (2020): Explaining the gender gap in job satisfaction. In: Applied Economics Letters, Jg. 27, H. 17, S. 1415-1418. DOI:10.1080/13504851.2019.1686111

Abstract

"In general, women report greater job satisfaction than men. The existing literature cannot fully explain the nature of this difference, as the gap tends to persist even when controlling for job characteristics. In this paper, we study job satisfaction using recent data for 28 EU countries. Women, on average, are more satisfied than men and the gap remains even when we account for a wide range of personal, job and family characteristics. However, the gap disappears when we include job preferences, as women place greater importance on work-life balance and the intrinsic desirability of the work." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Smith, Maria (2020): "We're Worth What We Are Paid": Unravelling the "Paradox of the Contented Female Worker". In: Sociological research online, Jg. 25, H. 3, S. 317-332. DOI:10.1177/1360780419870809

Abstract

"Pay satisfaction research has suggested that women are more satisfied with their pay than men, even though, in general, women earn less. This article argues that this body of research has misconceptualised this phenomenon as an issue of women only. It also argues that previous explanations for this gender pay paradox have not adequately explained these patterns of satisfaction. A social constructionist approach to pay satisfaction is proposed which situates satisfaction within the context of structural inequality. This draws upon the scholarly work of feminist scholars and the conceptual ideas of Pierre Bourdieu. This theoretical approach is explored with data from qualitative interviews with support staff at universities in the United Kingdom. This evidence suggests that their pay satisfaction is influenced by beliefs about the “value” of different occupations." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Warren, Tracey & Clare Lyonette (2020): Ungrateful slaves? An examination of job quality and job satisfaction for male part-time workers in the UK. In: The British journal of sociology, Jg. 71, H. 2, S. 382-402. DOI:10.1111/1468-4446.12741

Abstract

"Research on part-time work has concentrated over many decades on the experiences of women but male part-time employment is growing in the UK. This article addresses two sizable gaps in knowledge concerning male part-timers: are men's part-time jobs of lower quality than men's full-time jobs? Are male part-timers more or less job-satisfied compared to their full-time peers? A fundamental part of both interrogations is whether men's part-time employment varies by occupational class. The article is motivated by the large body of work on female part-timers. Its theoretical framework is rooted in one of the most controversial discussions in the sociology of women workers: the “grateful slave” debate that emerged in the 1990s when researchers sought to explain why so many women expressed job satisfaction with low-quality part-time jobs. Innovatively, this article draws upon those contentious ideas to provide new insights into male, rather than female, part-time employment. Based upon analysis of a large quantitative data set, the results provide clear evidence of low-quality male part-time employment in the UK, when compared with men's full-time jobs. Men working part-time also express deteriorating satisfaction with jobs overall and in several specific dimensions of their jobs. Male part-timers in lower occupational class positions retain a clear “lead” both in bad job quality and low satisfaction. The article asks whether decreasingly satisfied male part-time workers should be termed “ungrateful slaves?” It unpacks the “grateful slave” metaphor and, after doing so, rejects its value for the ongoing analysis of part-time jobs in the formal labor market." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, Published by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons) ((en))

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OECD (2020): How's life? 2020. Measuring well-being. (How's life? 05), Paris, 244 S. DOI:10.1787/9870c393-en