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Not working at work: Loafing, unemployment and labor productivity

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  • Burda, Michael C.
  • Genadek, Katie
  • Hamermesh, Daniel S.

Abstract

Using the American Time Use Survey (ATUS) 2003-12, we estimate time spent by workers in non-work while on the job. Non-work time is substantial and varies positively with the local unemployment rate. While the average time spent by workers in non-work conditional on any positive non-work rises with the unemployment rate, the fraction of workers who report time in non-work varies pro-cyclically, declining in recessions. These results are consistent with a model in which heterogeneous workers are paid efficiency wages to refrain from loafing on the job. That model correctly predicts relationships of the incidence and conditional amounts of non-work with wage rates and measures of unemployment benefits in state data linked to the ATUS, and it is consistent with observed occupational differences in non-work.

Suggested Citation

  • Burda, Michael C. & Genadek, Katie & Hamermesh, Daniel S., 2015. "Not working at work: Loafing, unemployment and labor productivity," SFB 649 Discussion Papers 2015-033, Humboldt University Berlin, Collaborative Research Center 649: Economic Risk.
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:sfb649:sfb649dp2015-033
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    Blog mentions

    As found by EconAcademics.org, the blog aggregator for Economics research:
    1. Not Working at Work: Loafing, Unemployment and Labor Productivity
      by maximorossi in NEP-LTV blog on 2016-02-19 01:04:52
    2. Not Working At Work: Loafing, Unemployment and Labor Productivity By: Burda, Michael C ; Genadek, Katie R. ; Hamermesh, Daniel S.
      by maximorossi in NEP-LTV blog on 2015-07-29 23:05:51

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    Cited by:

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    2. Daniel S. Hamermesh & Katie R. Genadek & Michael C. Burda, 2021. "Racial/Ethnic Differences in Non-Work at Work," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 74(2), pages 272-292, March.
    3. Reizer, Balázs, 2022. "Employment and Wage Consequences of Flexible Wage Components," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
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    5. Burda, Michael & Hamermesh, Daniel S. & Genadek, Katie R., 2017. "Non-Work at Work, Unemployment and Labor Productivity," CEPR Discussion Papers 12087, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    6. Michael C. Burda, 2018. "Aggregate labor productivity," IZA World of Labor, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA), pages 435-435, April.
    7. John G. Fernald & J. Christina Wang, 2016. "Why Has the Cyclicality of Productivity Changed? What Does It Mean?," Annual Review of Economics, Annual Reviews, vol. 8(1), pages 465-496, October.
    8. Poeschel, Friedrich, 2018. "Why do employers not pay less than advertised? Directed search and the Diamond paradox," MPRA Paper 87920, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    9. Jiajia Wei & Qiyan Wang & Wang Gao, 2022. "How Commuting Time Affects Employees’ Income in China’s Urbanization Process," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-18, November.
    10. Martin, Christopher & Wang, Bingsong, 2020. "Search, shirking and labor market volatility," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).
    11. Senney, Garrett T. & Dunn, Lucia F., 2019. "The role of work schedules and the macroeconomy on labor effort," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 57(C), pages 23-34.
    12. Lucia F. Dunn & Ida A. Mirzaie, 2023. "Gender Differences in Consumer Debt Stress: Impacts on Job Performance, Family Life and Health," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 44(3), pages 550-567, September.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    time use; non-work; loafing; shirking; efficiency wage; labor productivity;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply
    • E24 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Employment; Unemployment; Wages; Intergenerational Income Distribution; Aggregate Human Capital; Aggregate Labor Productivity

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