IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/zbw/fzgdps/61.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

How important is the type of working contract for job satisfaction of agency workers?

Author

Listed:
  • Petilliot, René

Abstract

Previous research has found that agency workers are less satisfied with their job than regular workers on a perma-nent contract. All these studies have in common that they treat agency workers as a homogeneous group; that is, they did not consider the contract type agency workers hold. This paper analyzes whether differences in job satis-faction can be explained by the contract type using data from the German Socio-Economic Panel. The analysis leads to three main results. First, differences in job satisfaction cannot be explained by the contract type. Second, agency workers on a permanent contract are significantly less satisfied with their job than regular workers on the same contract. Third, agency workers on a fixed-term contract do not differ in reported job satisfaction from reg-ular workers on both fixed-term and permanent contracts. These findings give rise to the hypothesis that as a policy instrument agency employment appears to be well-suited for short-term periods, but it should be prevented that workers are persistently employed in such a work arrangement.

Suggested Citation

  • Petilliot, René, 2016. "How important is the type of working contract for job satisfaction of agency workers?," FZG Discussion Papers 61, University of Freiburg, Research Center for Generational Contracts (FZG).
  • Handle: RePEc:zbw:fzgdps:61
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.econstor.eu/bitstream/10419/130200/1/855922710.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Hielke Buddelmeyer & Duncan McVicar & Mark Wooden, 2015. "Non-Standard “Contingent” Employment and Job Satisfaction: A Panel Data Analysis," Industrial Relations: A Journal of Economy and Society, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 54(2), pages 256-275, April.
    2. John T. Addison & Christopher J. Surfield, 2006. "The Use of Alternative Work Arrangements by the Jobless: Evidence from the CAEAS/CPS," Journal of Labor Research, Transaction Publishers, vol. 27(2), pages 149-162, April.
    3. Daniel S. Hamermesh, 2001. "The Changing Distribution of Job Satisfaction," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 36(1), pages 1-30.
    4. Gregori Baetschmann & Kevin E. Staub & Rainer Winkelmann, 2015. "Consistent estimation of the fixed effects ordered logit model," Journal of the Royal Statistical Society Series A, Royal Statistical Society, vol. 178(3), pages 685-703, June.
    5. Clark, Andrew E & Oswald, Andrew J, 1994. "Unhappiness and Unemployment," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 104(424), pages 648-659, May.
    6. Adrian Chadi & Clemens Hetschko, 2016. "Flexibilization without hesitation? Temporary contracts and job satisfaction," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 68(1), pages 217-237.
    7. Michael D. S. Morris & Alexander Vekker, 2001. "An Alternative Look at Temporary Workers, Their Choices, and the Growth in Temporary Employment," Journal of Labor Research, Transaction Publishers, vol. 22(2), pages 373-390, April.
    8. Anna Cristina D'Addio & Tor Eriksson & Paul Frijters, 2007. "An analysis of the determinants of job satisfaction when individuals' baseline satisfaction levels may differ," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 39(19), pages 2413-2423.
    9. Adrian Chadi & Clemens Hetschko, 2013. "Flexibilisation without Hesitation? Temporary Contracts and Workers’ Satisfaction," IAAEU Discussion Papers 201304, Institute of Labour Law and Industrial Relations in the European Union (IAAEU).
    10. Marloes Graaf-Zijl, 2012. "Job Satisfaction and Contingent Employment," De Economist, Springer, vol. 160(2), pages 197-218, June.
    11. Sonja C. Kassenboehmer & John P. Haisken‐DeNew, 2009. "You're Fired! The Causal Negative Effect of Entry Unemployment on Life Satisfaction," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 119(536), pages 448-462, March.
    12. O Blanchard & A Landier, 2002. "The Perverse Effects of Partial Labour Market Reform: fixed--Term Contracts in France," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 112(480), pages 214-244, June.
    13. Origo, Federica & Pagani, Laura, 2009. "Flexicurity and job satisfaction in Europe: The importance of perceived and actual job stability for well-being at work," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 16(5), pages 547-555, October.
    14. Liliana Winkelmann & Rainer Winkelmann, 1998. "Why Are the Unemployed So Unhappy?Evidence from Panel Data," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 65(257), pages 1-15, February.
    15. Rosen, Sherwin, 2007. "Studies in Labor Markets," National Bureau of Economic Research Books, University of Chicago Press, number 9780226726304.
    16. Wiji Arulampalam & Alison L. Booth, 1998. "Training and Labour Market Flexibility: Is There a Trade-off?," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 36(4), pages 521-536, December.
    17. Clark, Andrew E., 2001. "What really matters in a job? Hedonic measurement using quit data," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 8(2), pages 223-242, May.
    18. Clark, Andrew E., 1997. "Job satisfaction and gender: Why are women so happy at work?," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 4(4), pages 341-372, December.
    19. Rosen, Sherwin, 1974. "Hedonic Prices and Implicit Markets: Product Differentiation in Pure Competition," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 82(1), pages 34-55, Jan.-Feb..
    20. Ada Ferrer-i-Carbonell & Paul Frijters, 2004. "How Important is Methodology for the estimates of the determinants of Happiness?," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 114(497), pages 641-659, July.
    21. Colin P. Green & John S. Heywood, 2011. "Flexible Contracts And Subjective Well‐Being," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 49(3), pages 716-729, July.
    22. Gert G. Wagner & Joachim R. Frick & Jürgen Schupp, 2007. "The German Socio-Economic Panel Study (SOEP) – Scope, Evolution and Enhancements," Schmollers Jahrbuch : Journal of Applied Social Science Studies / Zeitschrift für Wirtschafts- und Sozialwissenschaften, Duncker & Humblot, Berlin, vol. 127(1), pages 139-169.
    23. D'Addio, Anna Cristina & Rosholm, Michael, 2005. "Exits from temporary jobs in Europe: A competing risks analysis," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 12(4), pages 449-468, August.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. René Petilliot, 2016. "How Important is the Type of Working Contract for Job Satisfaction of Agency Workers?," SOEPpapers on Multidisciplinary Panel Data Research 832, DIW Berlin, The German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP).
    2. 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.
    3. 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.
    4. Francesco Bartolucci & Aleksandra Baschina & Giovanni S. F. Bruno & Olga Demidova & Marcello Signorelli, 2015. "Determinants of Job Satisfaction in Young Russian Workers," Discussion Papers 7_2015, CRISEI, University of Naples "Parthenope", Italy.
    5. Adrian Chadi & Clemens Hetschko, 2021. "How Job Changes Affect People's Lives — Evidence from Subjective Well‐Being Data," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 59(2), pages 279-306, June.
    6. 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.
    7. Moreno Baruffini & Federica Origo, 2014. "Job satisfaction and flexicurity over the business cycle: evidence from Swiss individual-level data," ERSA conference papers ersa14p366, European Regional Science Association.
    8. Getinet A. Haile, 2015. "Workplace Job Satisfaction in Britain: Evidence from Linked Employer–Employee Data," LABOUR, CEIS, vol. 29(3), pages 225-242, September.
    9. Adrian Chadi & Clemens Hetschko, 2018. "The magic of the new: How job changes affect job satisfaction," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 27(1), pages 23-39, March.
    10. Ada Ferrer-i-Carbonell, 2013. "Happiness economics," SERIEs: Journal of the Spanish Economic Association, Springer;Spanish Economic Association, vol. 4(1), pages 35-60, March.
    11. Cheryl Carleton & Mary Kelly, 2019. "Alternative Work Arrangements and Job Satisfaction," Atlantic Economic Journal, Springer;International Atlantic Economic Society, vol. 47(3), pages 293-309, September.
    12. Hielke Buddelmeyer & Duncan McVicar & Mark Wooden, 2015. "Non-Standard “Contingent” Employment and Job Satisfaction: A Panel Data Analysis," Industrial Relations: A Journal of Economy and Society, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 54(2), pages 256-275, April.
    13. C Green & J S Heywood, 2007. "Are flexible contracts bad for workers? Evidence from job satisfaction data," Working Papers 590927, Lancaster University Management School, Economics Department.
    14. Cheryl Carleton & Mary T. Kelly, 2016. "Alternative Work Arrangements and Job Satisfaction," Villanova School of Business Department of Economics and Statistics Working Paper Series 32, Villanova School of Business Department of Economics and Statistics.
    15. Kunze, Lars & Suppa, Nicolai, 2017. "Bowling alone or bowling at all? The effect of unemployment on social participation," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 133(C), pages 213-235.
    16. Chadi, Adrian & Hetschko, Clemens, 2013. "Flexibilisation without hesitation? Temporary contracts and workers' satisfaction," Discussion Papers 2013/3, Free University Berlin, School of Business & Economics.
    17. repec:lan:wpaper:3016 is not listed on IDEAS
    18. repec:lan:wpaper:3171 is not listed on IDEAS
    19. Steffen Otterbach & Alfonso Sousa-Poza, 2016. "Job insecurity, employability and health: an analysis for Germany across generations," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 48(14), pages 1303-1316, March.
    20. G. S. F. Bruno & F. E. Caroleo & O. Dessy, 2014. "Temporary Contracts and Young Workers’ Job Satisfaction in Italy," AIEL Series in Labour Economics, in: Miguel Ángel Malo & Dario Sciulli (ed.), Disadvantaged Workers, edition 127, chapter 0, pages 95-120, Springer.
    21. Leandro Iván Canzio & Felix Bühlmann & Jonas Masdonati, 2023. "Job satisfaction across Europe: An analysis of the heterogeneous temporary workforce in 27 countries," Economic and Industrial Democracy, Department of Economic History, Uppsala University, Sweden, vol. 44(3), pages 728-754, August.
    22. repec:lan:wpaper:2922 is not listed on IDEAS
    23. Anne C. Gielen & Jan C. Ours, 2014. "Unhappiness and Job Finding," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 81(323), pages 544-565, July.

    More about this item

    Keywords

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

    JEL classification:

    • C23 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Models with Panel Data; Spatio-temporal Models
    • I31 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General Welfare, Well-Being
    • J28 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Safety; Job Satisfaction; Related Public Policy
    • J41 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Particular Labor Markets - - - Labor Contracts

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:zbw:fzgdps:61. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/iffrede.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.