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Working from Home, COVID-19 and Job Satisfaction

Author

Listed:
  • Laß, Inga

    (Bundesinstitut für Bevölkerungsforschung (BiB))

  • Vera-Toscano, Esperanza

    (University of Melbourne)

  • Wooden, Mark

    (Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research)

Abstract

This paper examines the impact of the growth in the incidence of working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic on workers' job satisfaction. Using longitudinal data collected in 2019 and 2021 as part of the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey, fixed-effects models of job satisfaction are estimated. Changes in the share of total weekly work hours usually worked from home are not found to have any significant association with changes in job satisfaction for men. In contrast, a strong significant positive (but non-linear) association is found for women, and this relationship is concentrated on women with children. These findings suggest the main benefit of working from home for workers arises from the improved ability to combine work and family responsibilities, something that matters more to women given they continue to shoulder most of the responsibility for house and care work.

Suggested Citation

  • Laß, Inga & Vera-Toscano, Esperanza & Wooden, Mark, 2023. "Working from Home, COVID-19 and Job Satisfaction," IZA Discussion Papers 16019, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp16019
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Cevat Giray Aksoy & Jose Maria Barrero & Nicholas Bloom & Steven J. Davis & Mathias Dolls & Pablo Zarate, 2022. "Working from Home Around the World," Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, Economic Studies Program, The Brookings Institution, vol. 53(2 (Fall)), pages 281-360.
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    5. Darja Reuschke, 2019. "The subjective well-being of homeworkers across life domains," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 51(6), pages 1326-1349, September.
    6. repec:eme:ws0000:00438020210418791 is not listed on IDEAS
    7. Duanyi Yang & Erin L. Kelly & Laura D. Kubzansky & Lisa Berkman, 2023. "Working from Home and Worker Well-being: New Evidence from Germany," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 76(3), pages 504-531, May.
    8. A.M. Dockery & Sherry Bawa, 2014. "Is Working from Home Good Work or Bad Work? Evidence from Australian Employees," Australian Journal of Labour Economics (AJLE), Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre (BCEC), Curtin Business School, vol. 17(2), pages 163-190.
    9. Arntz, Melanie & Ben Yahmed, Sarra & Berlingieri, Francesco, 2022. "Working from home, hours worked and wages: Heterogeneity by gender and parenthood," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
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    11. Watson Nicole & Wooden Mark, 2021. "The Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey," Journal of Economics and Statistics (Jahrbuecher fuer Nationaloekonomie und Statistik), De Gruyter, vol. 241(1), pages 131-141, February.
    12. Jun Yu & Yihong Wu, 2021. "The Impact of Enforced Working from Home on Employee Job Satisfaction during COVID-19: An Event System Perspective," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(24), pages 1-22, December.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    working from home; telework; job satisfaction; COVID-19; HILDA Survey; gender; work-family balance;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply
    • J28 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Safety; Job Satisfaction; Related Public Policy

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