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Explaining the gender gap in job satisfaction

Author

Listed:
  • Paul Redmond
  • Seamus McGuinness

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.

Suggested Citation

  • Paul Redmond & Seamus McGuinness, 2020. "Explaining the gender gap in job satisfaction," Applied Economics Letters, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 27(17), pages 1415-1418, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:apeclt:v:27:y:2020:i:17:p:1415-1418
    DOI: 10.1080/13504851.2019.1686111
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Bianca Rochelle Parry & Errolyn Gordon, 2021. "The shadow pandemic: Inequitable gendered impacts of COVID‐19 in South Africa," Gender, Work and Organization, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(2), pages 795-806, March.
    2. Hirschman, Daniel, 2021. ""Controlling for what?" Folk economics, legal consciousness and the gender wage gap in the United States," SocArXiv j8pra, Center for Open Science.
    3. Tansel, Aysit, 2022. "Job Satisfaction, Structure of Working Environment and Firm Size," MPRA Paper 113565, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    4. Andrea Dominguez & Rocío Diez, 2022. "Gender Barriers in Academia: Perceptions of Inequality in Professional Development among Female Academics in the Faculty of Education, University of Alicante, Spain," Societies, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-12, November.
    5. Śliwicki Dominik & Szczepaniak Małgorzata & Szulc-Obłoza Agnieszka, 2025. "Individual determinants of job satisfaction among young adults in Poland," International Journal of Management and Economics, Warsaw School of Economics, Collegium of World Economy, vol. 61(1), pages 44-55.
    6. Ladislav Uhlíř & Petr Řehoř, 2020. "Gender, Education and Marital Status as Determinants of Job Satisfaction," Acta Universitatis Bohemiae Meridionalis, University of South Bohemia in Ceske Budejovice, Faculty of Economics, vol. 23(2), pages 1-13.
    7. Bamieh, Omar & Ziegler, Lennart, 2023. "Gender-age differences in hiring rates and prospective wages—Evidence from job referrals to unemployed workers," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    8. Aslı ERMİŞ-MERT, 2020. "A Multivariate Investigation of Overall Happiness, Job Satisfaction and Income Satisfaction of Women and Men in TurkeyAbstract: This paper examines the factors affecting working women’s and men’s over," Sosyoekonomi Journal, Sosyoekonomi Society, issue 28(44).
    9. FitzRoy, Felix & Nolan, Michael A., 2020. "Towards Economic Democracy and Social Justice: Profit Sharing, Co-Determination, and Employee Ownership," IZA Discussion Papers 13238, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    10. Harris-Fry, Helen & Lamson, Lauren & Roett, Katelyn & Katz, Elizabeth, 2022. "Reducing gender bias in household consumption data: Implications for food fortification policy," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 110(C).
    11. Inés P. Murillo Huertas & José L. Raymond, 2024. "Education, educational mismatch and occupational status: an analysis using PIAAC data," Economia Politica: Journal of Analytical and Institutional Economics, Springer;Fondazione Edison, vol. 41(3), pages 717-738, October.
    12. Bamieh, Omar & Ziegler, Lennart, 2022. "Can Wage Transparency Alleviate Gender Sorting in the Labor Market?," IZA Discussion Papers 15363, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • J28 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Safety; Job Satisfaction; Related Public Policy
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity

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