IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/ers/journl/vxxivy2021i1p542-554.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Associations Between Job Satisfaction and Employment Protection in Selected European Union Countries

Author

Listed:
  • Małgorzata Szczepaniak
  • Agnieszka Szulc-Obloza

Abstract

Purpose: The article aims to present and discuss associations between the strictness of employment protection (EP) and job satisfaction. It also aims to answer the research question if higher strictness of EP is inversely correlated with lower job satisfaction across the selected European Union-OECD (EU-OECD) member countries. Approach/Methodology/Design: The article's theoretical part discusses the links between the EP and job satisfaction based on studied literature. In the methodological part, EP's analysis with sub-indicators (OECD) and job satisfaction, including cohorts (Eurostat), is performed. EU-OECD countries were grouped into 3 clusters from EP sub-indices' perspective and analyzed using employment protection and job satisfaction characteristics. Besides the taxonomic methods, the Pearson-correlation to identify relationships between EP and job satisfaction was calculated. Findings: Three groups of countries with different strictness of EP were characterized with different job satisfaction levels. The group with the strictest EP reported the lowest level of job satisfaction and conversely. The significant negative Pearson correlation proved this kind of relationship. Practical Implications: The article brings valuable conclusions about the relationships between EP and job satisfaction. The negative significant association between EP and job satisfaction reveals the labor market policy implications towards higher flexibility with a low risk of being unemployed on the labor market to increase job satisfaction. The job satisfaction reported by vulnerable groups on the labor market (such as old and women) is more strongly inversely related to job satisfaction. Originality/Value: The results of the conducted analysis complement the current scientific interest in the field of both: the analysis of overall life satisfaction (psychological well-being in different dimensions of life) and job security (employment protection legislation).

Suggested Citation

  • Małgorzata Szczepaniak & Agnieszka Szulc-Obloza, 2021. "Associations Between Job Satisfaction and Employment Protection in Selected European Union Countries," European Research Studies Journal, European Research Studies Journal, vol. 0(1), pages 542-554.
    • Handle: RePEc:ers:journl:v:xxiv:y:2021:i:1:p:542-554
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://ersj.eu/journal/1979/download
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Caballero, Ricardo J. & Cowan, Kevin N. & Engel, Eduardo M.R.A. & Micco, Alejandro, 2013. "Effective labor regulation and microeconomic flexibility," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 101(C), pages 92-104.
    2. Haltiwanger, John & Scarpetta, Stefano & Schweiger, Helena, 2014. "Cross country differences in job reallocation: The role of industry, firm size and regulations," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 26(C), pages 11-25.
    3. Andrea Bassanini & Romain Duval, 2006. "Employment Patterns in OECD Countries: Reassessing the Role of Policies and Institutions," OECD Economics Department Working Papers 486, OECD Publishing.
    4. Theodossiou, I. & Vasileiou, E., 2007. "Making the risk of job loss a way of life: Does it affect job satisfaction?," Research in Economics, Elsevier, vol. 61(2), pages 71-83, June.
    5. Millán, Ana & Millán, José María & Román, Concepción & van Stel, André, 2013. "How does employment protection legislation influence hiring and firing decisions by the smallest firms?," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 121(3), pages 444-448.
    6. David G. Blanchflower & Andrew J. Oswald, 2011. "International Happiness," NBER Working Papers 16668, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    7. Di Tella, Rafael & MacCulloch, Robert, 2005. "The consequences of labor market flexibility: Panel evidence based on survey data," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 49(5), pages 1225-1259, July.
    8. Mirela Cristea & Eleftherios Thalassinos, 2016. "Private Pension Plans: An Important Component of the Financial Market," International Journal of Economics & Business Administration (IJEBA), International Journal of Economics & Business Administration (IJEBA), vol. 0(1), pages 110-115.
    9. Ręklewski Marek & Ryczkowski Maciej, 2016. "The Polish Regional Labour Market Welfare Indicator and Its Links to Other Well-being Measures," Comparative Economic Research, Sciendo, vol. 19(3), pages 113-132, September.
    10. Eleftherios Thalassinos & Mirela Cristea & Gratiela Georgiana Noja, 2019. "Measuring active ageing within the European Union: implications on economic development," Equilibrium. Quarterly Journal of Economics and Economic Policy, Institute of Economic Research, vol. 14(4), pages 591-609, December.
    11. Blanchflower, David G & Oswald, Andrew, 2011. "International Happiness," CAGE Online Working Paper Series 39, Competitive Advantage in the Global Economy (CAGE).
    12. Malgorzata Szczepaniak & Agnieszka Szulc-Obloza, 2019. "Labour market institutions and income inequalities across the European Union," Ekonomia i Prawo, Uniwersytet Mikolaja Kopernika, vol. 18(3), pages 365-377, September.
    13. Eichhorst, Werner & Wozny, Florian & Mähönen, Erno, 2015. "What Is a Good Job?," IZA Discussion Papers 9461, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    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. Betcherman, Gordon, 2014. "Labor market regulations : what do we know about their impacts in developing countries ?," Policy Research Working Paper Series 6819, The World Bank.
    2. Per Skedinger, 2010. "Employment Protection Legislation," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 13686, December.
    3. Christoph S. Weber, 2020. "The unemployment effect of central bank transparency," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 59(6), pages 2947-2975, December.
    4. Djankov, Simeon & Ramalho, Rita, 2009. "Employment laws in developing countries," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 37(1), pages 3-13, March.
    5. Angel-Urdinola, Diego F. & Kuddo, Arvo, 2010. "Key characteristics of employment regulation in the Middle East and North Africa," Social Protection Discussion Papers and Notes 55674, The World Bank.
    6. Giuseppina Gianfreda & Giovanna Vallanti, 2020. "Labor Courts and Firing Costs: The Labor‐Market Effects of Trial Delays," Industrial Relations: A Journal of Economy and Society, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 59(1), pages 40-84, January.
    7. Feldmann, Horst, 2015. "Banking system concentration and unemployment in developing countries," Journal of Economics and Business, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 60-78.
    8. Masuch, Klaus & Anderton, Robert & Setzer, Ralph & Benalal, Nicholai, 2018. "Structural policies in the euro area," Occasional Paper Series 210, European Central Bank.
    9. Andreas Peichl & Nico Pestel, 2013. "Multidimensional Well‐Being at the Top: Evidence for Germany," Fiscal Studies, Institute for Fiscal Studies, vol. 34, pages 355-371, September.
    10. Graafland, J.J. & Compen, B., 2012. "Economic Freedom and Life Satisfaction : A Cross Country Analysis," Other publications TiSEM b80a9d8e-af55-43fc-bad2-9, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    11. Dohmen, Thomas, 2014. "Behavioral labor economics: Advances and future directions," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 30(C), pages 71-85.
    12. Aleksey A. ILYUKHIN & Svetlana V. ILYUKHINA, 2018. "Happiness Economics: The Role, Opinions and Evaluations by Young People," Upravlenets, Ural State University of Economics, vol. 9(2), pages 12-17, April.
    13. Katarzyna Skrzeszewska, 2020. "Employees of the Global Labor Market and the Polish Social Security System," European Research Studies Journal, European Research Studies Journal, vol. 0(4), pages 363-376.
    14. Lous, Bjorn, 2020. "On free markets, income inequality, happiness and trust," Other publications TiSEM e2480eed-722b-4e2a-8e29-4, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    15. Afful, Efua Amoonua, 2014. "Does Employment Protection Legislation Induce Structural Unemployment? Evidence from 15 OECD Countries," MPRA Paper 56875, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    16. Ishay Wolf & Lorena Caridad Lopez del Rio, 2021. "Benefit Adequacy in Funded Pension Systems: Micro-Simulation of the Israeli Pension Scheme," International Journal of Economics & Business Administration (IJEBA), International Journal of Economics & Business Administration (IJEBA), vol. 0(2), pages 143-164.
    17. Piper, Alan T., 2012. "A Happiness Test of Human Capital Theory," MPRA Paper 43496, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    18. Johan Graafland & Bart Compen, 2015. "Economic Freedom and Life Satisfaction: Mediation by Income per Capita and Generalized Trust," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 16(3), pages 789-810, June.
    19. Flaig Gebhard & Rottmann Horst, 2009. "Labour Market Institutions and the Employment Intensity of Output Growth," Journal of Economics and Statistics (Jahrbuecher fuer Nationaloekonomie und Statistik), De Gruyter, vol. 229(1), pages 22-35, February.
    20. Johan Graafland & Bjorn Lous, 2018. "Economic Freedom, Income Inequality and Life Satisfaction in OECD Countries," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 19(7), pages 2071-2093, October.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Employment protection; job satisfaction; institutions.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J08 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - General - - - Labor Economics Policies
    • J28 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Safety; Job Satisfaction; Related Public Policy
    • I30 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General

    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:ers:journl:v:xxiv:y:2021:i:1:p:542-554. 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: Marios Agiomavritis (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://ersj.eu/ .

    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.