Wellbeing – wie Lebensqualität, Arbeit und Einkommen zusammenhängen
Das Streben nach Glück ist ein zentrales Element im Leben, wobei das individuelle Wohlbefinden sowohl persönliche als auch gesellschaftliche Ursachen hat. Welchen Einfluss haben Wirtschaftsentwicklung, Einkommen, der berufliche Werdegang oder Arbeitslosigkeitserfahrungen auf die subjektive Lebensqualität eines Menschen?
Dieses Themendossier bietet hierzu aktuelle Literatur und Projekthinweise.
Im Filter „Autorenschaft“ können Sie auf IAB-(Mit-)Autorenschaft eingrenzen.
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Literaturhinweis
CEO-to-employee pay ratios, societal-level income inequality, and citizens’ subjective well-being (2026)
Jiang, Kaifeng; Jia, Yingya; Yu, Jia; Tsui, Anne S.;Zitatform
Jiang, Kaifeng, Yingya Jia, Anne S. Tsui & Jia Yu (2026): CEO-to-employee pay ratios, societal-level income inequality, and citizens’ subjective well-being. In: Journal of International Business Studies, S. 1-15. DOI:10.1057/s41267-026-00841-2
Abstract
"Income inequality is a worldwide phenomenon that increasingly concerns scholars, policy-makers, business leaders, and ordinary citizens. Building on research emphasizing the role of firms in shaping societal outcomes, this study investigates how organizational pay structures—specifically the chief executive officer (CEO)-to-employee pay ratios—relate to societal-level income inequality and citizens’ subjective well-being. Using a15-year panel dataset of 53 countries, we find that higher CEO-to-employee pay ratios are significantly associated with next-year increases in societal-level income inequality. Drawing on social justice theory, we also show that CEO-to-employee pay ratios are negatively related to citizens’ subjective well-being one year later, above and beyond the effects of societal-level income inequality and other national conditions. We further found that this negative association is more pronounced in countries with a stronger welfare state. Together, these findings advance research on inequality, well-being, and international business by showing how firm-level compensation structures shape broader societal outcomes. These findings also offer actionable implications for corporate leaders and policy-makers seeking to understand how corporate pay structure extends beyond organizations to affect societal economic inequality and citizens’ well-being." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Income–Well‐Being Gradient in Sickness and Health (2026)
Zitatform
Kanninen, Ohto, Petri Böckerman & Ilpo Suoniemi (2026): Income–Well‐Being Gradient in Sickness and Health. In: Health Economics, Jg. 35, H. 3, S. 409-422. DOI:10.1002/hec.70063
Abstract
"We propose a method for studying the value of insurance. For this purpose, we analyze the well-being of the same individuals, comparing sick and healthy years, using German panel survey data on life satisfaction. We impose structure on the income–well-being gradient by fitting a flexible utility function to the data, focusing on the differences in marginal utility in the sick and the healthy states. Notably, our empirical specification allows for a “fixed cost of sickness.” We find a higher marginal utility of income in the sick state. We use our estimates to gauge the value of sickness insurance for Baily-Chetty–type optimal policy calculations." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Bureaucracy, happiness, and satisfaction at work (2026)
Zitatform
Tu, Jeffrey & Seth J. Hill (2026): Bureaucracy, happiness, and satisfaction at work. In: PLoS ONE, Jg. 21, H. 1. DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0338838
Abstract
"Despite increasing material prosperity, industrialized nations face declining self-reported happiness and increasing workplace dissatisfaction. This study investigates bureaucratic burden as a driver of diminishing job satisfaction, analyzing 7.9 million Glassdoor reviews of more than 8,000 companies from 2008-2023 using natural language processing and instrumental variables methods. We identify reviews mentioning bureaucracy and quantify their association with 1-5 star employer ratings. Mentioning bureaucracy corresponds to around 0.7-point lower ratings (a 22% decline from the mean), comparable to the impacts of mentioning low pay (–0.8) or workplace conflict (–0.9). Two-stage least squares analysis, instrumenting with future bureaucratic mentions at the same company, implies a causal relationship. These findings support theories about the harm of “illegitimate tasks” at work and suggest revisiting conventional efficiency rationales for workplace bureaucratization. Organizational practices emphasizing employee autonomy and meaningful tasks could partly mitigate declines in satisfaction." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
The impact of educational and work trajectories on wellbeing in midlife: A comparison of Canada and Germany (2026)
Zitatform
Turgetto, Johanna, Janine Jongbloed, Wolfgang Lauterbach & Lesley Andres (2026): The impact of educational and work trajectories on wellbeing in midlife: A comparison of Canada and Germany. In: Advances in life course research, Jg. 67. DOI:10.1016/j.alcr.2025.100712
Abstract
"This study employs longitudinal data from Germany and Canada to investigate how patterns of education, employment and care work influence wellbeing in midlife and how these patterns differ by gender and national context. Although previous research has addressed wellbeing at different life stages, it has rarely examined long-term effects across gendered life trajectories within contrasting welfare state contexts. We conduct separate analyses for men and women using partial proportional odds models (PPO) to estimate wellbeing levels. The models include clusters of educational and employment trajectories, along with socio-demographic variables that capture individual and family contexts known to affect wellbeing. Our results extend prior research demonstrating that education and employment trajectories shape midlife wellbeing, with associations varying by gender and country. Our analyses illustrate that Canadian women are able to draw benefits from part-time work, whereas for German women no consistent associations emerge once family-centred factors are considered. Among German men, wellbeing seems to be shaped primarily by household income, while for Canadian men good health is significantly associated with wellbeing. Our study underscores how gendered life course patterns continue to influence wellbeing and how welfare state regularities reinforce these inequalities. We conclude with a critical reflection on the compatibility of work and family life and its implications for wellbeing among women and men." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © 2025 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Differential Life Satisfaction in a German Representative Sample (2025)
Zitatform
Arnold, Christopher & Beate Muschalla (2025): Differential Life Satisfaction in a German Representative Sample. In: International journal of environmental research and public health, Jg. 22, H. 1. DOI:10.3390/ijerph22010105
Abstract
"Life satisfaction includes various aspects, such as satisfaction with work, family, environment, and finances, and is influenced by sociodemographic and socioeconomic factors. This representative study investigates differential life satisfaction in the general population and its associations with sociodemographics. The study used a cross-sectional design with 2522 German participants, collected via face-to-face interviews and three-stage random sampling, assessing satisfaction across 17 life areas with the Differential Life Burden Scale. Overall life satisfaction was high (M = 4.46, scale from 1 to 6). Although globally satisfied, most participants (84.2%) named at least one negative area of life. Politics and environment were perceived as dissatisfying (M = 3.1; M = 3.81, respectively); social contacts and leisure time were evaluated as rather satisfying (M about 5.00). Age, income, and unemployment were associated with life satisfaction. Gender and age were differently associated with life domains: Older people were less satisfied with their health. Younger people were more satisfied with leisure time. Younger were less satisfied with their children than older participants. The German population is generally satisfied with life, though factors like age, unemployment, and income influence the number of negatively perceived life domains. This highlights the importance of evaluating specific life areas in addition to overall life satisfaction for a more comprehensive understanding." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Performance Pay and Happiness: Work vs. Home? (2025)
Zitatform
Baktash, Mehrzad B., John S. Heywood & Uwe Jirjahn (2025): Performance Pay and Happiness: Work vs. Home? (IZA discussion paper / Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit 18181), Bonn, 42 S.
Abstract
"Using German survey data, we show conflicting influences of performance pay on overall life satisfaction. The overall influence reflects a strong positive influence through domains of life satisfaction associated with the job (job satisfaction, individual earnings satisfaction and household earning satisfaction) and a strong negative influence through domains away from the job (health satisfaction, sleep satisfaction and family life satisfaction). This trade-off between work and home generalizes and helps explain many previous studies examining much more specific consequences of performance pay. Finally, controlling for the mediating role of the domains, the direct influence on life satisfaction is positive for women and insignificantly different from zero for men." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Detach to Thrive: Psychological Detachment from Work and Employee Well-Being (2025)
Zitatform
Baktash, Mehrzad B. & Lisa Pütz (2025): Detach to Thrive: Psychological Detachment from Work and Employee Well-Being. In: Journal of happiness studies, Jg. 26, H. 4. DOI:10.1007/s10902-025-00883-7
Abstract
"Psychological detachment from work implies mentally disconnecting from work during off-job time. Using representative longitudinal data from the German Socio-Economic Panel, we identify psychological detachment from work as a key driver of employee well-being. This finding holds for a broad set of well-being indicators, including emotional responses, job satisfaction, life domain satisfactions, and global life satisfaction. Importantly, heterogeneity analyses reveal that detachment affects different subgroups of employees to a similar extent, indicating that the impact of detachment on employee well-being is universal. We further find that detachment mattered for employee well-being before as well as during the Covid-19 pandemic. Overall, organizations and policy makers could foster psychological detachment to increase employee well-being. Given that employees nowadays search for happiness at work, ensuring psychological detachment becomes also relevant in the war for talent." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Testing the Psychological Costs of Intergenerational Social Mobility: Evidence from a German Panel Study (2025)
Zitatform
Becker, Michael, Lilly-Marlen Bihler, Martin Neugebauer & Jenny Wagner (2025): Testing the Psychological Costs of Intergenerational Social Mobility: Evidence from a German Panel Study. In: Social Science & Medicine, Jg. 384. DOI:10.1016/j.socscimed.2025.118522
Abstract
"This study investigates the psychological costs of intergenerational social mobility, focusing on both upward and downward mobility. While prior research has often overlooked the role of selection effects, we explicitly disentangle whether disparities in mental health and well-being are attributable to the experience of social mobility itself or to pre-existing individual differences. Using data from a German panel study that follows individuals from late adolescence (age 18) into work-life (age 30), we assess psychological adjustment for different forms of social mobility based on individuals’ own educational attainment relative to theirparents’. We apply entropy balancing to compare models with and without adjustment for selection effects. Initial results, unadjusted for selection, show that downward mobility is linked to poorer mental health and well-being, supporting the “falling-from-grace” hypothesis. In contrast, upward mobility shows no significant association with mental health outcomes, aligning with the “acculturation” hypothesis. Crucially, when accounting for selection, the apparent disadvantages of downward mobility disappear. Our findings suggest that psychological costs attributed to social mobility are primarily the result of pre-existing vulnerabilities rather than mobility itself, emphasizing the importance of considering selection processes in research on social mobility and health." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © 2025 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Trade Unions and Life Satisfaction in Germany (2025)
Zitatform
Becker, Björn, Laszlo Goerke & Yue Huang (2025): Trade Unions and Life Satisfaction in Germany. In: BJIR, Jg. 63, H. 3, S. 462-477. DOI:10.1111/bjir.12861
Abstract
"The effects of trade union membership on wages and job satisfaction have been studied extensively. Arguably, life satisfaction serves as a more comprehensive measure of the benefits of union membership and warrants closer examination. Using all relevant waves from the German Socio-Economic Panel between 1985 and 2019, we find a negative correlation between trade union membership and life satisfaction in OLS and FE specifications. The association may arise because union members are more concerned about their job and the economic situation and less satisfied with their work. Social capital and wages also perform as channels between membership and life satisfaction. The negative correlation is more pronounced in settings in which trade unions are relatively weak." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Gute Arbeit in Berlin: Ergebnisse einer Beschäftigtenbefragung im Rahmen des ‚DGB-Index Gute Arbeit‘ (2025)
Brunsen, Hendrik; Busse, Britta; Wolnik, Kevin; Wenzel, Lisbeth;Zitatform
Brunsen, Hendrik, Britta Busse, Kevin Wolnik & Lisbeth Wenzel (2025): Gute Arbeit in Berlin. Ergebnisse einer Beschäftigtenbefragung im Rahmen des ‚DGB-Index Gute Arbeit‘. Berlin, 119 S.
Abstract
"Die Ergebnisse zeigen, an welchen Stellen Beschäftigte ausgebremst oder benachteiligt werden und wo gewonnene Energie eingebüßt wird, aber auch was Beschäftigte an ihrer Arbeit schätzen und woraus sie Motivation und Antrieb ziehen. Dazu wurden beispielsweise Fragen zu den Themen Personalmangel, Einkommen und flexible Arbeitszeiten gestellt und diese unter anderem nach Gleichstellungskriterien ausgewertet. Als Senatorin für Arbeit, Soziales, Gleichstellung, Integration, Vielfalt und Antidiskriminierung ist es mir besonders wichtig, arbeitsmarktrelevante Verbesserungen anzustoßen. Für weitergehende Überlegungen und Diskussionen bieten die vorliegenden Daten eine hervorragende Grundlage. Wobei auch klar ist: Es geht um mehr als Zahlen - es geht um Menschen. Aus den Ergebnissen geht hervor, dass 47 Prozent der Beschäftigten in Berlin in (sehr) hohem Maß von den Folgen des Personalmangels betroffen sind. Besonders deutlich wird dieser Mangel in den Gesundheitsberufen, den Informatikberufen, den naturwissenschaftlichen Berufen sowie in den Verkehrs-, Logistik-, Sicherheits- und Reinigungsberufen bemerkbar. Für Beschäftigte heißt dies häufig zusätzliche Aufgaben und Überlastung, was zur Verschlechterung der Arbeitsbedingungen und der Arbeitsqualität sowie zu sinkender Arbeitszufriedenheit führen kann. Die Umbrüche durch Digitalisierung, demographischen Wandel und die klimagerechte Transformation von Wirtschaft und Arbeitswelt werden branchenbezogene Personal- und Fachkräftebedarfe weiter erhöhen. Der Senat arbeitet auch vor diesem Hintergrund an einer umfassenden Fachkräftestrategie, die Unternehmen und Beschäftigte bei der Transformation unterstützt, bisher ungenutzte Fachkräftepotentiale erschließt und die Aus- und Weiterbildung künftiger Fachkräfte befördern soll. Schlechte Arbeitsbedingungen und Unzufriedenheit der Beschäftigten haben unterschiedliche Ursachen. Eine der am häufigsten angegebenen Belastungsgründe ist eine nicht auskömmliche Bezahlung. Insgesamt 78 Prozent der Befragten, die ihr Einkommen als nicht ausreichend einschätzen, fühlen sich davon (eher) stark belastet. Männer fühlen sich von geringerer Bezahlung stärker belastet. Frauen sind aber in der Regel diejenigen, die durchschnittlich weniger Einkommen erzielen. So lag der Gender-Pay-Gap 2024 immer noch bei 16 Prozent. Um die Vereinbarkeit von Familie und Beruf besser meistern zu können, sind neben der Bezahlung auch alternative Unterstützungsangebote von Arbeitgebenden wie die Nutzung von Homeoffice oder flexible Arbeitszeiten insbesondere für Beschäftigte, die Care Arbeit leisten, sehr wichtig. Vornehmlich in Bezug auf Homeoffice ist hier in über der Hälfte der Betriebe noch Luft nach oben. Ein umso erfreulicheres Ergebnis der Befragung ist, dass sich insgesamt nur sehr wenige Befragte Sorgen um ihre berufliche Zukunft machen. Es ist besonders wichtig, in Mitarbeitende zu investieren und sie weiterzubilden, um ihnen Fähigkeiten im Umgang mit neuen Entwicklungen wie künstlicher Intelligenz mitzugeben." (Textauszug, IAB-Doku)
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Literaturhinweis
I can't forget about U: lifetime unemployment and retirement wellbeing (2025)
Zitatform
Clark, Andrew E. & Anthony Lepinteur (2025): I can't forget about U: lifetime unemployment and retirement wellbeing. In: Economica, Jg. 92, H. 368, S. 1083-1100. DOI:10.1111/ecca.70007
Abstract
"It is well known that unemployment leaves scars after re-employment, but does this scarring effect persist even after retirement? We analysz European data on retirees from the SHARE panel, and show that the wellbeing of the retired continues to reflect the unemployment that they experienced over their working life. These scarring effects are somewhat smaller for older retirees, but larger for those who arguably had higher expectations regarding the labour market when they were active. The lower wellbeing from lifetime unemployment does not reflect lower retirement income. This long-run scarring for those who have left the labor market underlines that contemporaneous correlations significantly underestimate the wellbeing cost of unemployment." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, Published by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Einsamkeit in Deutschland: die gefährdetste Gruppe sind Menschen mit niedrigem Einkommen (2025)
Entringer, Theresa; Stacherl, Barbara; Kumrow, Linda;Zitatform
Entringer, Theresa, Linda Kumrow & Barbara Stacherl (2025): Einsamkeit in Deutschland: die gefährdetste Gruppe sind Menschen mit niedrigem Einkommen. In: DIW-Wochenbericht, Jg. 92, H. 5, S. 59-67. DOI:10.18723/diw_wb:2025-5-1
Abstract
"Einsamkeit stellt ein ernstzunehmendes Gesundheitsrisiko dar. Sie beeinträchtigt die Lebensqualität und kann sogar die Lebensdauer verkürzen. Diese Studie untersucht Einsamkeit in Deutschland basierend auf den aktuellen Daten des Sozio-oekonomischen Panels (SOEP) zur Einsamkeit aus dem Jahr 2021. Die Analysen beleuchten die Verbreitung verschiedener Facetten von Einsamkeit (Alleinsein, Isolation, Ausgeschlossenheit) sowie regionale Unterschiede und besonders betroffene Personengruppen. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass sich 19 Prozent der in Deutschland lebenden Menschen manchmal oder häufiger einsam fühlen. Vor der Pandemie waren es lediglich 14 Prozent. Regionale Unterschiede existieren ohne das Ost-West-Muster, das in früheren Studien zu erkennen war: Im Westen und Süden Deutschlands kommt jetzt das Gefühl, Gesellschaft zu vermissen, häufiger vor als im Osten. Besonders einsam sind Menschen mit einem Einkommen, das unterhalb des Medians liegt, vor allem wenn sie dazu männlich sind und einen Migrationshintergrund haben. Aufklärungskampagnen und Maßnahmen, die zur Prävention von Einsamkeit angesichts der Gesundheitsrisiken erforderlich sind, sollten diese Befunde berücksichtigen und zielgerichtet erfolgen." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)
Weiterführende Informationen
Englische Version -
Literaturhinweis
Poor psychosocial work environment: a ticket to retirement? Variations by gender and education (2025)
Eyjólfsdóttir, Harpa S. ; Herlofson, Katharina ; Pedersen, Axel West ; Veenstra, Marijke ; Lennartsson, Carin ; Hellevik, Tale ;Zitatform
Eyjólfsdóttir, Harpa S., Tale Hellevik, Katharina Herlofson, Axel West Pedersen, Carin Lennartsson & Marijke Veenstra (2025): Poor psychosocial work environment: a ticket to retirement? Variations by gender and education. In: European Journal of Ageing, Jg. 22. DOI:10.1007/s10433-025-00855-z
Abstract
"Many countries, including Norway, are implementing policies to delay retirement and encourage older workers to remain in the labour market. Improving psychosocial working conditions may motivate older workers to continue working. While research has linked psychosocial working characteristics to retirement intentions and work exit, there is a knowledge gap regarding gender and socioeconomic differences in these influences. This study investigates the impact of psychosocial working characteristics on employment exit among older workers, examining variations by gender and educational attainment. Data were drawn from the Norwegian Life Course, Ageing, and Generation study (NorLAG) collected in 2007 and 2017 (N = 2,065) linked to income register data for four subsequent years. Time-to-event analyses revealed that poorer psychosocial working environment increased the likelihood of employment exit. For women, low autonomy was significant, while for men significant associations were found for high job stress, low job variety, lack of appreciation, limited learning opportunities, accumulation of poor job resources, and job strain. Interaction analysis showed only significant gender differences for few learning opportunities and poor job resources. Separate analyses stratified by educational attainment showed no significant association for those with compulsory education, while those with higher levels of education were more likely to retire if faced with low job variety, low autonomy, and poor job resources–yet interaction analysis showed no significant differences. These findings suggest that interventions aimed at delaying retirement should consider gender and socioeconomic differences, providing older workers with more control over their tasks and equitable access to learning opportunities and resources." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
A longitudinal path analysis of the reciprocal and cyclical relationships between sickness absence, job demands, job resources, and burnout (2025)
Gottenborg, Simon; Johnsen, Svein Åge Kjøs; Hoff, Thomas; Øvergård, Kjell Ivar; Rydstedt, Leif;Zitatform
Gottenborg, Simon, Thomas Hoff, Svein Åge Kjøs Johnsen, Leif Rydstedt & Kjell Ivar Øvergård (2025): A longitudinal path analysis of the reciprocal and cyclical relationships between sickness absence, job demands, job resources, and burnout. In: Frontiers in psychology, Jg. 16. DOI:10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1557898
Abstract
"Aim: This study investigates the longitudinal reciprocal cyclical impact of sickness absence on perceived job demands and job resources, as well as its indirect effects on future burnout and further sickness absence. Design and methods: A four-wave longitudinal survey design was employed, with sickness absence data collected at Time 1 and Time 3 and questionnaires assessing psychosocial work environment factors administered at Time 2 and Time 4. Sample: A total of 272 employees from several Norwegian organizations participated in the study. Results: The results provided evidence of a reciprocal longitudinal negative path coefficient between sickness and perceived job resources, while the path coefficient related to job demands was small and non-significant. Additionally, a cyclical reciprocal effect was identified, following the pathway: sickness absence -> job resources -> burnout -> sickness absence, thereby supporting the JD-R model’s predictive capability regarding sickness absenteeism. This implies that sickness absence may lead to a perceived loss of job resources, which subsequently exacerbates burnout and results in further sickness absence over time. Contribution: This study contributes to psychological theory by enhancing the understanding of the longitudinal and reciprocal effects of sickness absence on perceived job characteristics. It also expands the longitudinal evidence base demonstrating burnout’s predictive effect on sickness absence." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Performance Management in deutschen Betrieben: Leistungsorientierung lohnt sich - aber nur mit kollektiven Zielen (2025)
Zitatform
Grunau, Philipp, Patrick Kampkötter & Kevin Ruf (2025): Performance Management in deutschen Betrieben: Leistungsorientierung lohnt sich - aber nur mit kollektiven Zielen. (IAB-Kurzbericht 11/2025), Nürnberg, 8 S. DOI:10.48720/IAB.KB.2511
Abstract
"Unternehmen sind mit ständigem Wandel und wachsendem Wettbewerbsdruck konfrontiert, was auch das Personalmanagement betrifft. Außerdem verändert sich der Arbeitsalltag für viele Beschäftigte, sodass die Instrumente des Performance Managements, insbesondere die traditionellen Leistungsbeurteilungs- und Vergütungspraktiken, zunehmend auf dem Prüfstand stehen. Entscheidend für Betriebe und Beschäftigte ist dabei unter anderem, ob und inwieweit diese Praktiken die wahrgenommene Arbeitsqualität beeinflussen. Die Autoren untersuchen in diesem Bericht Trends und Entwicklungen für die Jahre 2012 bis 2023 auf Basis des Linked Personnel Panels (LPP)." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)
Weiterführende Informationen
- Zusammenhang zwischen Instrumenten des betrieblichen Performance Managements und der wahrgenommenen Arbeitsqualität
- Vergütungsmix für Führungskräfte und Beschäftigte ohne Führungsverantwortung mit erfolgsabhängiger Vergütung
- Instrumente des betrieblichen Performance Managements
- Instrumente des betrieblichen Performance Managements im Zeitverlauf
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Literaturhinweis
Socialism, identity and the well-being of unemployed women (2025)
Zitatform
Günther, Tom, Jakob Conradi & Clemens Hetschko (2025): Socialism, identity and the well-being of unemployed women. In: Labour Economics, Jg. 95. DOI:10.1016/j.labeco.2025.102752
Abstract
"Unemployment influences people’s life satisfaction beyond negative income shocks. A large body of literature investigates these non-pecuniary costs of unemployment and stresses the importance of social norms, especially for men. We add to this literature by showing that norm non-compliance may equally inflate the non-pecuniary loss of well-being for unemployed women. Using German panel data, we use the German division as a natural experiment to compare unemployment-related life satisfaction losses between different cohorts of East and West German women. We hypothesise that being exposed to different legal norms concerning workforce participation and different opportunity cost of working after the division shaped social identities and thus social norms around work for the two German female populations in different ways. East German women were required to work whereas West German women were expected to focus on family care. We find that East German women suffer significantly more from unemployment than West German women. This difference is driven entirely by East German females who were exclusively raised in the former GDR. We do not find such diverging patterns for German men. Our findings imply that women suffer as much as men from unemployment if socialised in the same way." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © 2025 Published by Elsevier B.V.) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
The reciprocal within‐person relationship between job insecurity and life satisfaction: Testing loss and gain spirals with two large‐scale longitudinal studies (2025)
Zitatform
Jiang, Lixin, Xiaohong Xu, Elena Zubielevitch & Chris G. Sibley (2025): The reciprocal within‐person relationship between job insecurity and life satisfaction: Testing loss and gain spirals with two large‐scale longitudinal studies. In: International review of applied psychology, Jg. 74, H. 1. DOI:10.1111/apps.12599
Abstract
"Deriving from the loss and gain spirals of conservation of resources (COR) theory, this research attempts to understand the within-person, reciprocal relationship between job insecurity and life satisfaction. Using three independent samples from seven-wave, five-wave, and 21-wave annually collected data from New Zealand and Australia, and random intercept cross-lagged panel models, we find that (1) job insecurity has a negative concurrent relationship with life satisfaction at the between-person level; (2) job insecurity at an earlier time point has a negative relationship with life satisfaction and a positive relationship with job insecurity at a later time point, indicating that individuals facing an initial threat of resource losses are more prone to further resource depletion, supporting “loss spirals” in COR theory; and (3) life satisfaction at an earlier time point has a positive relationship with life satisfaction at a later time point, supporting “gain spiral” in COR theory. However, life satisfaction is not longitudinally related to job insecurity at a later time point, failing to support the reverse causality. By rigorously investigating the reciprocal within-person relationship between job insecurity and life satisfaction with two large-scale panel data sets, these findings strongly support the loss and gain spirals from COR theory." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Long-term effects of on-the-job skills (mis)match on employee wellbeing and employability: a 7-wave longitudinal study (2025)
Koopmans, Linda; Preenen, Paul; Tooren, Marieke van den;Zitatform
Koopmans, Linda, Marieke van den Tooren & Paul Preenen (2025): Long-term effects of on-the-job skills (mis)match on employee wellbeing and employability: a 7-wave longitudinal study. In: Frontiers in psychology, Jg. 16. DOI:10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1591769
Abstract
"On-the-job skills match, in which employee knowledge and proficiencies (skills) are well-matched with the needs of the job, is often considered more beneficial, both for employees as well as for organizations and society, than a mismatch. A mismatch can be underqualification (when the skill level is below that which is required in the job) and overqualification (when someone has too many skills for the job they are doing). In this paper, we examined dynamics in employees’ on-the-job skills (mis)match over time, as well as the impact of these (mis)matches on employee wellbeing and employability several years later. To this end, we used 7-wave longitudinal data (2015–2021) from TNO’s Dutch Cohort Study on Sustainable Employability (CODI). The sample consisted of 7,831 Dutch employees. Descriptive data showed that about one-third (36.5%) of employees consistently reported a skills match (from T1 through T7) and 50% reported at least one change in skills (mis)match between T1 and T7 (e.g., going from underqualification to a match, despite staying in the same job with the same employer). About one in eight (12.2%) consistently reported overqualification and a small proportion of employees (0.4%) consistently reported underqualification. Predictive analyses showed that prolonged on-the-job skills match (T1–T4) affected employees’ burnout complaints, job satisfaction, labor market position and employment status 1–3 years later. Further, it was shown that prolonged skills mismatches (underqualification and overqualification) affected employees ’ general health, work engagement, job satisfaction, labor market position, work ability en employment status 1–3 years later. Also, a relation was found between overqualification and burnout complaints. Main findings and their implications are discussed and recommendations for reducing on-the-job skills mismatches are made." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Upgrading jobs for all: How welfare states shape differences in life satisfaction between the winners and losers of structural change (2025)
Zitatform
Küstermann, Leon (2025): Upgrading jobs for all: How welfare states shape differences in life satisfaction between the winners and losers of structural change. In: Socio-economic review, Jg. 23, H. 4, S. 1895-1921. DOI:10.1093/ser/mwaf029
Abstract
"Structural economic change transforms occupational structures in a way that has benefited college-educated knowledge economy workers while creating risks for workers in routine and interpersonal service jobs. However, looking beyond economic outcomes, it is striking that differences in life satisfaction between these occupational groups in some European countries are much smaller than in others. To explain this pattern, I analyze data from the European Social Survey and the European Working Conditions Survey for twenty-five countries. I show that these life satisfaction differences are smaller in countries where jobs in “losing” occupations are designed similarly to jobs in “winning” occupations. Further, I demonstrate that both social investment and social protection reduce this life satisfaction gap by equalizing job satisfaction and job design between occupational groups. Hence, my results support the argument that welfare states achieve inclusive outcomes in the context of structural economic change through their interactions with workplaces." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
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Literaturhinweis
Examining interindividual differences in unemployment-related changes in subjective well-being: The role of psychological well-being and re-employment expectations (2025)
Zitatform
Lawes, Mario, Clemens Hetschko, Ronnie Schöb, Gesine Stephan & Michael Eid (2025): Examining interindividual differences in unemployment-related changes in subjective well-being: The role of psychological well-being and re-employment expectations. In: European Journal of Personality, Jg. 39, H. 1, S. 24-45., 2024-01-21. DOI:10.1177/08902070241231315
Abstract
"This study examined whether the six trait-like dimensions of psychological well-being (e.g., autonomy and environmental mastery) moderate the effects of unemployment on various facets of subjective well-being (i.e., life satisfaction, satisfaction with life domains, and experienced mood). Further, re-employment expectations during unemployment were investigated as a moderator in this context. The study is based on monthly panel data (Nobservations > 23,000) of two samples of initially employed German jobseekers, who either registered as jobseekers due to (i) mass layoffs or plant closures (N = 552) or (ii) other reasons (N = 988). The results indicate substantial interindividual differences in unemployment-related changes across all examined subjective well-being facets. However, dimensions of psychological well-being did generally not moderate these changes. Only in one unemployment context, environmental mastery was positively related to unemployment-related mood changes. Good re-employment expectations were related to increases in several well-being facets (e.g., leisure satisfaction) compared to being employed, whereas poor re-employment expectations were associated with particularly detrimental effects of unemployment in terms of life satisfaction. Overall, the study provides further evidence that (perceived) contextual features of unemployment seem to be particularly relevant for how individuals experience unemployment, whereas internal (coping) resources only seem to play a negligible role." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))