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Don't Worry, be Flexible? - Job Satisfaction among Flexible Workers

Author

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  • Elke Jahn

    (IAB and Bayreuth University)

Abstract

This paper investigates whether workers in flexible employment relationships show lower job satisfaction than workers with permanent job contracts. Our results indicate that looking only at formal job security provided by the contract type may lead to misleading conclusions about job satisfaction. Using longitudinal data for Germany, we find that it is not the formal job security provided by the contractual agreement but rather the perceived job security that matters for job satisfaction. Moreover, there is evidence that workers value job characteristics in similar ways across fundamentally different types of job contracts.

Suggested Citation

  • Elke Jahn, 2015. "Don't Worry, be Flexible? - Job Satisfaction among Flexible Workers," Australian Journal of Labour Economics (AJLE), Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre (BCEC), Curtin Business School, vol. 18(2), pages 147-168.
    • Handle: RePEc:ozl:journl:v:18:y:2015:i:2:p:147-168
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    3. Christine Luecke & Andreas Knabe, 2020. "How much does others’ protection matter? Employment protection, future labour market prospects and well-being," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 72(3), pages 893-914.
    4. Azar, Sana & Khan, Aamir & Van Eerde, Wendelien, 2018. "Modelling linkages between flexible work arrangements' use and organizational outcomes," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 134-143.
    5. Grund, Christian & Minten, Axel & Toporova, Nevena, 2017. "The Motivation of Temporary Agency Workers: An Empirical Analysis," IZA Discussion Papers 11229, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    6. René Petilliot, 2018. "How important is the type of working contract for job satisfaction of agency workers?," International Review of Economics, Springer;Happiness Economics and Interpersonal Relations (HEIRS), vol. 65(3), pages 359-379, September.
    7. Henna Busk & Christine Dauth & Elke J. Jahn, 2017. "Do Changes in Regulation Affect Temporary Agency Workers’ Job Satisfaction?," Industrial Relations: A Journal of Economy and Society, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 56(3), pages 514-544, July.
    8. Inga Laß, 2020. "The Effects of Non-standard Employment on the Transition to Parenthood Within Couples: A Comparison of Germany and Australia," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 36(5), pages 843-874, November.
    9. Morgenroth, Nicolas & Schels, Brigitte & Teichler, Nils, 2022. "Are Men or Women More Unsettled by Fixed-Term Contracts? Gender Differences in Affective Job Insecurity and the Role of Household Context and Labour Market Positions," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 38(4), pages 560-574.
    10. Budría, Santiago & Milgram Baleix, Juliette, 2020. "Offshoring, job satisfaction and job insecurity," Economics - The Open-Access, Open-Assessment E-Journal (2007-2020), Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel), vol. 14, pages 1-32.
    11. Paul Schumann & Lars Kuchinke, 2019. "Do(n’t) Worry, It’s Temporary: The Effects of Fixed‑Term Employment on Affective Well‑Being," SOEPpapers on Multidisciplinary Panel Data Research 1065, DIW Berlin, The German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Job satisfaction; Temporary agency employment; Fixed-term contracts; Working condition;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J41 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Particular Labor Markets - - - Labor Contracts
    • J28 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Safety; Job Satisfaction; Related Public Policy
    • J81 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor Standards - - - Working Conditions

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