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Underemployment and well-being in the UK before and after the Great Recession

Author

Listed:
  • Jason Heyes

    (University of Sheffield, UK)

  • Mark Tomlinson

    (University of Sheffield, UK)

  • Adam Whitworth

    (University of Sheffield, UK)

Abstract

Since the start of the economic crisis in 2008 there has been widespread concern with changes in the level and composition of unemployment. The phenomenon of underemployment has, however, received markedly less attention, although it too increased in extent following the start of the crisis. This article considers the consequences of underemployment for the subjective well-being of UK employees. Drawing on data from the 2006 and 2012 Employment and Skills Surveys, the article assesses how the Great Recession affected relationships between different dimensions of underemployment and well-being. The findings demonstrate that the negative well-being consequences of workers’ dissatisfaction with opportunities to make use of their abilities became more substantial, as did the consequences of being ‘hours constrained’ and having an unsatisfactory workload. The article also shows that the economic crisis had a negative impact on the well-being of employees who work very long hours.

Suggested Citation

  • Jason Heyes & Mark Tomlinson & Adam Whitworth, 2017. "Underemployment and well-being in the UK before and after the Great Recession," Work, Employment & Society, British Sociological Association, vol. 31(1), pages 71-89, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:woemps:v:31:y:2017:i:1:p:71-89
    DOI: 10.1177/0950017016666199
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Duncan Gallie & Ying Zhou & Alan Felstead & Francis Green & Golo Henseke, 2017. "The implications of direct participation for organisational commitment, job satisfaction and affective psychological well-being: a longitudinal analysis," Industrial Relations Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 48(2), pages 174-191, March.
    3. Fregin, Marie-Christine & Bijlsma, Ineke & van der Velden, Rolf, 2018. "Much ado about social outcomes?," Research Memorandum 017, Maastricht University, Graduate School of Business and Economics (GSBE).
    4. Bell, David N.F. & Blanchflower, David G., 2019. "The well-being of the overemployed and the underemployed and the rise in depression in the UK," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 161(C), pages 180-196.
    5. Mousteri, Victoria & Daly, Michael & Delaney, Liam, 2020. "Underemployment and psychological distress: Propensity score and fixed effects estimates from two large UK samples," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 244(C).
    6. Azagra-Caro, Joaquín M. & Tijssen, Robert J.W. & Tur, Elena M. & Yegros-Yegros, Alfredo, 2019. "University-industry scientific production and the Great Recession," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 139(C), pages 210-220.

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