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Gender Differences in Preference for Non-pecuniary Benefits in the Labour Market. Experimental Evidence from an Online Freelancing Platform.

Author

Listed:
  • Adnan M. S. Fakir

    (University of Sussex Business School, Brighton, BN1 9RH.)

  • Yiwei Qian

    (Stanford University, Stanford, California - 94305, USA.)

  • Naveen Sunder

    (Bentley University, Waltham, Massachusetts - 02452, USA.)

Abstract

: We conduct an experiment on a major international online freelancing labor market platform to study the impact of greater flexibility in choosing work hours within a day on female participation. We post identical job advertisements (for 320 jobs) covering a wide range of tasks (80 distinct tasks) that differ only in flexibility and the fee offered. Comparing application numbers across these jobs, we find that though both men and women prefer flexibility, the elasticity of response for women is twice as large as for men. Flexible jobs receive 24 percent more female applications and 12 percent more male applications compared to inflexible jobs. Our findings have important implications in explaining gender differences in labor market outcomes and for firms interested in attracting more women employees.

Suggested Citation

  • Adnan M. S. Fakir & Yiwei Qian & Naveen Sunder, 2023. "Gender Differences in Preference for Non-pecuniary Benefits in the Labour Market. Experimental Evidence from an Online Freelancing Platform.," Working Paper Series 0623, Department of Economics, University of Sussex Business School.
    • Handle: RePEc:sus:susewp:0623
    as

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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    workplace flexibility; online freelancing jobs; female labour force participation workplace;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply
    • O14 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Industrialization; Manufacturing and Service Industries; Choice of Technology
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • L86 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Services - - - Information and Internet Services; Computer Software

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