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Brüggemann, Ole, Thomas Hinz, Julia Lang, Susanne Strauss & Nick Zubanov (2025): Wie fair empfinde ich meinen Lohn? Das Arbeitsumfeld macht den Unterschied. In: IAB-Forum H. 03.02.2025 Nürnberg. DOI:10.48720/IAB.FOO.20250203.01

Abstract

"Dass eine faire Entlohnung Auswirkungen auf die Arbeitszufriedenheit und auf den Verbleib im Unternehmen haben kann, ist den meisten Menschen bewusst. Welche Rolle das Arbeitsumfeld bei der Bewertung des eigenen Lohnes spielt, ist jedoch weniger bekannt. Anhand einer deutschlandweiten Befragung von Beschäftigten in größeren Firmen hat ein Forschungsteam der Universität Konstanz und des IAB drei relevante Aspekte des Arbeitsumfeldes untersucht: ob Beschäftigte über ihre Löhne sprechen, ob nach Tarifvertrag entlohnt wird und ob es Betriebsräte als Anlaufstelle für Fragen der fairen Entlohnung gib" (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

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Brüggemann, Ole & Julia Lang (2025): Gendered Responses to Unfair Pay: Evidence from a Factorial Survey Experiment among Employees in German Firms. In: Research in Social Stratification and Mobility, Jg. 98, 2025-05-18. DOI:10.1016/j.rssm.2025.101064

Abstract

"Although recent literature shows that women are becoming more likely to perceive their (or other women’s) wages as unfairly low, how they respond to unfair pay is crucial for reducing wage inequality based on gender. Using a factorial survey experiment (FSE) among more than 4,800 employees from 533 German firms, we examine expected behavioral reactions to perceived under-reward of fictitious co-workers (exit, applying for another job; voice, starting wage negotiations or complaining at the works council). While exit was generally perceived as a more likely reaction than voice, gendered expectations emerged: female co-workers were expected to engage in voice behaviors less frequently than male co-workers. These gendered patterns were mitigated when female supervisors were present, supporting the notion that female managers act as “agents of change.” Our findings point towards policies promoting female leadership across hierarchical levels to reduce normative barriers and encourage women to address wage injustices." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © 2025 Published by Elsevier Ltd.) ((en))

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Diehl, Claudia, Julia Lang, Ole Brüggemann & Susanne Strauss (2025): Is My Wage Fair? Validating Fairness Perceptions among Women and Men. In: Socius, Jg. 11. DOI:10.1177/23780231251366126

Abstract

"The authors examine gender differences in perceptions of the fairness of one’s own pay. This work differs from previous studies, as the authors not only assess whether women are as likely as men to perceive their pay as unfair at the same absolute wage levels. Instead, they use an innovative methodology based on linked employer-employee data. This makes it possible to compare subjective perceptions of (un)fair pay with the predicted pay of comparable others with the same individual-, work-, occupation-, and firm-related characteristics. The authors use the measurement of how closely a person’s pay aligns with the predicted pay of comparable others as a strictly empirical indicator of whether someone’s pay is fair. Overall, women are as likely as men to perceive a fair wage as unfair or an unfair wage as fair. Although the data at hand do not make it possible to explore the causes of this, or to assess whether women and men used to differ more in their perceptions of fairness, the authors speculate that women today may be more aware of the societal debate about gender-based wage discrimination, and their perceptions of appropriate compensation may be less influenced by gendered comparison groups and gender status beliefs than previous research has suggested." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Diehl, Claudia, Julia Lang, Ole Brüggemann & Susanne Strauss (2025): Is My Wage Fair? Validating Fairness Perceptions among Women and Men. In: Socius, Jg. 11, S. 1-21., 2025-07-22. DOI:10.1177/23780231251366126

Abstract

"The authors examine gender differences in perceptions of the fairness of one’s own pay. This work differs from previous studies, as the authors not only assess whether women are as likely as men to perceive their pay as unfair at the same absolute wage levels. Instead, they use an innovative methodology based on linked employer-employee data. This makes it possible to compare subjective perceptions of (un)fair pay with the predicted pay of comparable others with the same individual-, work-, occupation-, and firm-related characteristics. The authors use the measurement of how closely a person’s pay aligns with the predicted pay of comparable others as a strictly empirical indicator of whether someone’s pay is fair. Overall, women are as likely as men to perceive a fair wage as unfair or an unfair wage as fair. Although the data at hand do not make it possible to explore the causes of this, or to assess whether women and men used to differ more in their perceptions of fairness, the authors speculate that women today may be more aware of the societal debate about gender-based wage discrimination, and their perceptions of appropriate compensation may be less influenced by gendered comparison groups and gender status beliefs than previous research has suggested." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © SAGE) ((en))

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Dolls, Mathias, Sarah Necker, Andreas Peichl, Boyan Petkov & Lisa Windsteiger (2025): Reformen des Bürgergeldes aus Sicht der Bevölkerung. In: Perspektiven der Wirtschaftspolitik. DOI:10.1515/pwp-2024-0030

Abstract

"Über die Ausgestaltung der sozialen Grundsicherung, insbesondere des Bürgergeldes, wird in der Öffentlichkeit immer wieder kontrovers diskutiert. Im Mittelpunkt einer repräsentativen Umfrage des ifo Instituts mit dem Ziel, die Akzeptanz möglicher Reformalternativen zu testen, stand die Frage, wie die Bevölkerung verschiedene Aspekte einer Reform des Bürgergeldes bewertet. In diesem Beitrag fassen Mathias Dolls, Sarah Necker, Andreas Peichl, Boyan Petkov und Lisa Windsteiger das Vorgehen und die Ergebnisse zusammen und erörtern diese. Es zeigt sich, dass Reformvorschläge mit eher niedrigen Transferentzugsraten besser bewertet werden als solche mit einem Transferentzug von 100 Prozent. Insbesondere niedrige Transferentzugsraten für Eltern mit Kindern erhöhen die Zustimmungswahrscheinlichkeit. Reformen mit eher hohem Schonvermögen werden ebenfalls positiver bewertet als solche ohne Schonvermögen. Ist das Schonvermögen allerdings zu hoch, nimmt der positive Effekt ab. Leistungskürzungen im Fall von Pflichtverletzungen führen ebenfalls zu einer vergleichsweise positiven Bewertung einer Reformvariante. Mit Blick auf die möglichen Auswirkungen einer Bürgergeldreform hat die Veränderung der Armutsquote den größten Einfluss auf die Akzeptanz in der Bevölkerung, die Entwicklung der Staatsausgaben hingegen den geringsten." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

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Dütsch, Matthias, Monika Senghaas, Gesine Stephan & Olaf Struck (2025): Does organizational context matter? An examination of the factors influencing employees’ judgments of minimum wage increases. In: Journal for labour market research, Jg. 59, 2025-02-10. DOI:10.1186/s12651-025-00392-3

Abstract

"This article presents novel findings on company factors that determine judgments regarding the fairness of minimum wage increases. Drawing on minimum wage and organizational justice research, we conducted a factorial survey among German employees. It seems that the internal wage structure plays a crucial role because raising only the pay of minimum wage workers and not that of other employees causes a minimum wage increase to be rated as less fair. While a hiring freeze does not negatively influence fairness judgments, layoffs do. Finally, if a minimum wage increase adversely affects a company’s economic situation, respondents assess it as less fair." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Filippi, Silvia, Bruno Gabriel Salvador Casara, Kim Peters, Anne Maass, Tommaso Feraco & Caterina Suitner (2025): They don’t really care about us: the impact of perceived vertical pay disparity on employee well-being. In: European journal of work and organizational psychology, Jg. 34, H. 1, S. 42-57. DOI:10.1080/1359432x.2024.2415127

Abstract

"The gap in pay between those at the top of organizations and other organizational members continues to grow. In this paper, we tested the link between the perception of this vertical pay gap and people’s well-being at work. Specifically, we tested whether greater perceptions that pay is unequally distributed couples with people’s feelings that they are not valued (Lind & Tyler, 1988), eroding their sense of identification and well-being. In two cross-sectional surveys, Study 1a and 1b (N = 1335), we found that the more US and Italian workers perceived that there was a large vertical pay gap at work, the greater their tendency to feel that their organization was not concerned about their welfare. They were also less satisfied in their jobs and less likely to identify with their organization. In two pre-registered experiments, Study 2a and 2b (N total = 785), we manipulated the vertical pay gap in hypothetical organizations and found that when the pay gap was large (versus small) participants felt that the organization was less concerned about their welfare. They also expected to be less satisfied in their jobs, to identify less with the organization, and to experience greater work-life interference." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Gerich, Joachim & Martina Beham-Rabanser (2025): Perceived fairness and legitimacy of parental workplace discrimination. In: Community, work & family, S. 1-27. DOI:10.1080/13668803.2025.2453175

Abstract

"Parental discrimination has been shown to be related to several risks, including impaired health, increased job stress, and decreased job satisfaction, which calls for increased awareness of parental discrimination. This paper analyzes fairness and legitimacy judgments of unequal treatment based on parental status at work and the antecedents that influence these judgments. Stereotypes of symbolic vilification that suggest lower commitment due to caring responsibilities, and symbolic amplification, which refers to rational economic organizational needs, are expected to rationalize discrimination. Moreover, we expect specific values and ideologies to be related to judgments of fairness and legitimacy, mediated by resonance with symbolic vilification and amplification. Analyses are based on survey data from a sample of employees aged between 20 and 45 years (n = 376). Respondents' evaluations of parental discrimination were measured using two fictional cases. The results suggest that greater acceptance of vilifying and amplifying justifications is triggered by a stronger preference for the ideal worker norm and traditional gender role expectations. Women tend to view discrimination as more unfair and illegitimate than men, while men's judgments are more strongly driven by economic reasoning." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Hajdu, Gábor (2025): Perceived income inequality, perceived unfairness and subjective social status in Europe. In: Socio-economic review, Jg. 23, H. 2, S. 955-977. DOI:10.1093/ser/mwae055

Abstract

"This article examines the relationship between perceived income inequality, the perceived unfairness of income distribution (discrepancy between an individual’s perceived and preferred levels of income inequality) and subjective social status. Using four waves of the ‘Social Inequality’ module of the International Social Survey Programme (28 European countries, 70 000 individuals) and an empirical strategy that controls for a rich set of objective measures of social status and the objective level of income inequality, the results show that both perceived inequality and perceived unfairness are negatively associated with subjective social status. Moreover, perceived unfairness moderates the relationship between perceived inequality and subjective social status. Specifically, the negative effects are larger for individuals who perceive high levels of unfairness than for those with lower levels of perceived unfairness. The analysis also provides evidence that the association between perceived inequality and subjective social status is stronger for individuals with lower income, lower education, and those living in Eastern European countries." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Kuhn, Moritz, Jens Stegmaier & Jonas Aljoscha Weik (2025): Breite Zustimmung zum Sozialstaat - Leistung soll sich aber lohnen. In: IAB-Forum H. 23.10.2025. DOI:10.48720/IAB.FOO.20251023.01

Abstract

"Die Regierung hat weitreichende Reformen der sozialen Sicherung angekündigt. In der öffentlichen Debatte rücken dabei schnell Umsetzungsfragen in den Vordergrund. Dabei gerät mitunter aus dem Blick, dass solche Reformen auch gesellschaftliche Vorstellungen von Gerechtigkeit berühren. Aktuelle Befragungsergebnisse zeigen: Zwei von drei Befragten sehen den Nutzen des Sozialstaats, fast ebenso viele empfinden aber seine Kosten als Problem. Eine knappe Mehrheit – darunter viele Menschen mit niedrigem Einkommen – stimmt der Aussage zu, dass Sozialleistungen „faul machen“." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

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Müller, Jan & Heejung Chung (2025): From the Ideal Worker to the Inclusive Worker: Measuring Norm Shifts Within Occupational Contexts. In: Gender, work & organization, S. 1-16. DOI:10.1111/gwao.70038

Abstract

"Research shows that the ideal worker norm—the masculine-gendered expectation of unlimited work devotion—perpetuates class and gender inequality, increases turnover rates, and negatively affects job satisfaction and work–life balance. Occupational research typically measures this norm through the share of employees working full-time or long hours. We advocate for a more comprehensive approach by (1) extracting employers' normative expectations from job adverts using machine learning, (2) separately quantifying the masculine-centric nature of this norm, and (3) tracing the norm's occupation-specific evolution. Further, we introduce the inclusive worker norm to juxtapose against the ideal worker norm. We demonstrate the inclusion of these diverse aspects at the occupational level, employing multi-level factor analyses to evaluate supply- and demand-side data for Switzerland, from 2001 to 2023. The validity of our indicators is supported by (1) factor analysis fit measures, (2) positive correlation with established indicators and part-time and gender pay gaps, and (3) negative associations with preferences for part-time work as estimated by multi-level models. By adopting this nuanced, occupation-specific, and historical lens, and leveraging job advert data, our research provides a novel approach to better analyze, understand, and address gender inequalities, and other work outcomes, perpetuated or mitigated by (shifts in) the ideal worker and inclusive worker norms." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Schouwer, Thimo De, Elisabeth Gsottbauer, Iris Kesternich & Heiner Schumacher (2025): Work meaning and fair wages. In: Labour Economics, Jg. 97. DOI:10.1016/j.labeco.2025.102808

Abstract

"Work meaning can be an important driver of labor supply. Since, by definition, work meaning is associated with benefits for others, it also has an important fairness dimension. In a theoretical model, we show that workers’ willingness to pay for work meaning can be positive or negative, depending on the relative strength of fairness concerns and meaning preferences. To examine the importance of these behavioral motives for labor supply, we conduct a survey experiment with representative samples from The Netherlands and Germany in which we vary within-subject the benefits that a job creates for others. We find that only a minority of workers are actually willing to sacrifice wage for work meaning. The average willingness to pay for work meaning is positive, but substantially lower than the willingness to pay for job flexibility. There is a strong negative relationship between fairness concerns and willingness to pay for work meaning. Thus, individuals who prioritize fairness are less likely to accept lower wages for meaningful work." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © 2025 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.) ((en))

Zitatform

Schouwer, Thimo De, Elisabeth Gsottbauer, Iris Kesternich & Heiner Schumacher (2025): Work Meaning and Fair Wages. (CESifo working paper 12068), München, 42 S.

Abstract

"Work meaning can be an important driver of labor supply. Since, by definition, work meaning is associated with benefits for others, it also has an important fairness dimension. In a theoretical model, we show that workers' willingness to pay for work meaning can be positive or negative, depending on the relative strength of fairness concerns and meaning preferences. To examine the importance of these behavioral motives for labor supply, we conduct a survey experiment with representative samples from the Netherlands and Germany in which we vary within-subject the benefits that a job creates for others. We find that only a minority of workers are actually willing to sacrifice wage for work meaning. The average willingness to pay for work meaning is positive, but substantially lower than the willingness to pay for job flexibility. There is a strong negative relationship between fairness concerns and willingness to pay for work meaning. Thus, individuals who prioritize fairness are less likely to accept lower wages for meaningful work." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Abstract

"Over several decades, the OECD has documented the trends, drivers and consequences of inequality in outcomes, as well as the policies for addressing them. In the landmark 2018 report A Broken Social Elevator?, it examined effective ways to promote social mobility. However, people do not only care about outcomes and mobility. They also care about the process through which outcomes are achieved and the extent to which everyone is given a fair chance to succeed in life. To Have and Have Not makes another important contribution to the research and policy agenda by looking at opportunities and how they are distributed across societies. To do so, it applies an innovative methodology to measure the extent to which outcomes are shaped by inherited factors and other circumstances beyond an individual's control. The report explores how the role and influence of these circumstances differ across countries and population groups. It also provides a detailed focus on the relations between opportunities and "place" through an analysis of geographic disparities in access to education, employment and essential services. Finally, it identifies various policy options and interventions that can help ensure a more level playing field for all." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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(2025): Building pathways to opportunity. How to ensure a more level playing field in OECD countries. (OECD Policy Insights on Well-being, Inclusion, Sustainability and Equal Opportunity 21), Paris, 13 S. DOI:10.1787/239063a4-en

Abstract

"Ensuring that everyone has a fair chance to succeed in life constitutes a fundamental principle of democracy, as well as an important source of economic growth and social inclusion. A new flagship OECD report, To Have and Have Not – How to Bridge the Gap in Opportunities, offers important new evidence on the way in which opportunities are distributed across OECD countries. In doing so, it aims to inform public debates on an issue of high relevance and help design effective policies that can ensure a more level playing field for all. This policy brief provides a condensed overview of the main insights and findings from this report. The policy brief explains why and how inequality of opportunity should be measured. It sheds light on some of the key questions covered in the report, including (i) how fairly are opportunities distributed in OECD countries; (ii) which circumstances play the largest role in shaping economic outcomes and for whom; (iii) what is the role of place and how are economic opportunities shaped by geographic divides in access to education, employment, infrastructure and essential services; and (iv) how can policy contribute to a more level playing field." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Diehl, Claudia, Julia Lang, Susanne Strauss & Ole Brüggemann (2024): Is My Wage Fair? : Validating Fairness Perceptions Among Women and Men. (Working Paper Series / Universität Konstanz, Cluster of Excellence 'The Politics of Inequality' 33), Konstanz, 33 S. DOI:10.48787/kops/352-2-ic19t4vrxlek9

Abstract

"This paper examines gender differences in perceptions of the fairness of one's own pay. Theoretically, we draw on two so far separate strands of literature, on women's alleged greater tolerance for lower wages ("contented female worker paradox"), and on perceived discrimination among ethnic minorities ("integration paradox"). Empirically, we depart from previous studies by not simply assessing whether women are as likely as men to perceive their pay as unfair. Instead, we use an innovative methodology based on linked employer-employee data from about 500 German firms. This makes it possible to validate subjective perceptions of (un)fair pay by comparing them to the actual (un)fairness of someone's pay. The latter is measured as the difference between one's own pay and the predicted pay of comparable others with the same individual, job, and firm-related characteristics. Overall, women are as likely as men to perceive a fair wage as unfair – or an unfair wage as fair. However, university-educated women are somewhat less likely than men to perceive their pay as fair when they earn less than comparable employees. They might be more aware of the societal debate about gender discrimination and "aim higher" in setting their aspirations for appropriate rewards for their skills." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Khan, Maria Hameed, Jannine Williams, Penny Williams & Robyn Mayes (2024): Caring in the Gig Economy: A Relational Perspective of Decent Work. In: Work, Employment and Society, Jg. 38, H. 4, S. 1107-1127. DOI:10.1177/09500170231173586

Abstract

"The rapidly expanding gig economy has been criticized for creating precarious and indecent working conditions. These critiques draw on decent work debates centred on employment classification, regulation and platform fairness, with less focus on the interactions between workers, platforms and clients, which are central to the experience of platform-mediated work. This article adopts a worker-centric relational perspective to explore decent work in the gig economy. Drawing on the experiences of workers in platform-mediated domestic care work, the insights from this study highlight the importance of social interactions and relationships, using an ethics of care lens, to elucidate how relational aspects shape workers' experiences. The findings reveal platform workers centre mutuality of interests, responsiveness and reciprocity, attentiveness and solidarity to maintain a balance of care (care-for-self and care-for-others) when negotiating platform-mediated care work. This article contributes relationality as a key dimension of decent work currently overlooked in studies exploring gig work arrangements." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Nelson, Jennifer L. & Tiffany D. Johnson (2024): How White Workers Navigate Racial Difference in the Workplace: Social-Emotional Processes and the Role of Workplace Racial Composition. In: Work and occupations, Jg. 51, H. 3, S. 362-407. DOI:10.1177/07308884231176833

Abstract

"Research on racialized emotions and racialized organizations has begun to inform how we understand social interactions in the workplace and their implications for racial inequality. However, most research to date focuses on the experiences and coping strategies of racial minority workers, especially when confronted with instances of racial prejudice and discrimination. We extend research on racialized emotions in the workplace by mapping the stages of belonging/unbelonging white workers go through when they encounter instances of racial discomfort or perceived prejudice in the workplace. This is an important contribution to the study of race and work because existing research suggests the deleterious effects for people of color when white people experience negative emotions such as threat, fear, and anxiety in interracial encounters. Drawing on interview data with 56 white teachers in a metropolitan area in the U.S. Southeast, we document a process of racialized belonging. This is a process whereby white workers experienced varying degrees of surprise, confusion, frustration, and fear resulting from interracial—and some intraracial—experiences with coworkers as well as students. We note how the process is informed by racialized imprinting prior to workplace entry and followed by racialized emotions and racialized coping. Racial composition of the workplace also played a role, though the process looked similar across contexts. We argue that by accounting for white workers’ prior life experiences as well as organizations’ involvement in accommodating their emotional expectations, the way white workers behave when race becomes salient to them can be better understood and addressed." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Nicolitsas, Daphne (2024): Fairness, expectations and life satisfaction: evidence from Europe. In: Empirica, Jg. 51, H. 2, S. 313-349. DOI:10.1007/s10663-023-09602-y

Abstract

"This study aims to investigate whether individual beliefs about the fairness of society can account for differences in life satisfaction. Fairness here encompasses both procedural and distributive justice. The paper uses fifth-round individual-level data from the European Social Survey (ESS). The round in question contains information that can be used as a proxy for procedural justice, in the form of individual assessment of how the courts operate in their country. It also contains variables that will serve as a proxy for distributive justice. To that end we use survey information on individual assessment of whether pay is appropriate as well as a variable measuring the gap between received and expected pay. The latter is constructed using pay information and individuals’ personal demographic and productive features, as well as information on the characteristics of their workplace. The hypothesis that life satisfaction is impacted by perceived unfairness cannot be rejected. Furthermore, we find that dissatisfaction with pay increases when individuals have a negative view of procedural justice." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © Springer-Verlag) ((en))

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Schneider, Florian H., Fanny Brun & Roberto A. Weber (2024): Sorting and Wage Premiums in Immoral Work. In: The Review of Economics and Statistics, S. 1-46. DOI:10.1162/rest_a_01536

Abstract

"We use surveys, laboratory experiments and administrative data to study how heterogeneity in the perceived immorality of work and in workers' aversion to acting immorally impact labor market outcomes. Immoral work is associated with higher wages, both in administrative data and in causal experimental evidence. Individuals more willing to engage in immoral conduct find employment in firms and industries perceived as immoral less aversive and have higher employment rates in immoral work in the laboratory. These phenomena appear to be driven by impure social motives, reflecting a desire not to be involved with immoral work, rather than by consequentialist concerns." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © MIT Press Journals) ((en))