IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/aop/jijoss/v11y2022i2p24-44.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Examining the Structural Effect of Working Time on Well-Being: Evidence from Abu Dhabi

Author

Listed:
  • Masood Badri

    (Department of Community Development and UAE University)

  • Mugheer Al Khaili

    (Department of Community Development)

  • Guang Yang

    (Department of Community Development)

  • Muna Al Bahar

    (Department of Community Development and UAE University)

  • Asma Al Rashdi

    (Department of Community Development)

Abstract

Does working time affect workers’ quality of life? We studied this question in the context of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi drawing on the results of its Quality of Life Survey conducted in 2019/2020. The empirical analysis examined the effect of working hours on various elements of the quality of life framework including health, job and income, life satisfaction and happiness, social connections, and mental feelings. Preliminary analysis along with path analysis justified the significance of eight variables: work-life balance, frequency of meeting with friends, happiness, stress, time spent with family, self-assessment of health, satisfaction with income, and difficulty in fulfilling family responsibilities. Path analysis showed direct effect of working hours on four variables: work-life balance, happiness, frequency of meeting with friends, and stress. In addition, the model became significantly less efficient when including variables such as job satisfaction, job security, time spent in sport, sleeping, and leisure. The implications were discussed in the light of international literature and in the context of Abu Dhabi.

Suggested Citation

  • Masood Badri & Mugheer Al Khaili & Guang Yang & Muna Al Bahar & Asma Al Rashdi, 2022. "Examining the Structural Effect of Working Time on Well-Being: Evidence from Abu Dhabi," International Journal of Social Sciences, European Research Center, vol. 11(2), pages 24-44, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:aop:jijoss:v:11:y:2022:i:2:p:24-44
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://eurrec.org/ijoss-article-116918
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://eurrec.org/ijoss-article-116918?download=3
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Altonji, Joseph G & Paxson, Christina H, 1988. "Labor Supply Preferences, Hours Constraints, and Hours-Wage Trade-Offs," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 6(2), pages 254-276, April.
    2. Niharika Doble & M.V. Supriya, 2010. "Gender Differences in the Perception of Work-Life Balance," Management, University of Primorska, Faculty of Management Koper, vol. 5(4), pages 331-342.
    3. Mark Wooden & Diana Warren & Robert Drago, 2009. "Working Time Mismatch and Subjective Well‐being," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 47(1), pages 147-179, March.
    4. Lonnie Golden & Barbara Wiens-Tuers, 2008. "Overtime Work and Wellbeing at Home," Review of Social Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 66(1), pages 25-49.
    5. Wunder, Christoph & Heineck, Guido, 2013. "Working time preferences, hours mismatch and well-being of couples: Are there spillovers?," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 24(C), pages 244-252.
    6. Alfonso Sousa-Poza & Fred Henneberger, 2002. "An Empirical Analysis of Working-Hours Constraints in Twenty-one Countries," Review of Social Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 60(2), pages 209-242.
    7. Helliwell, John & Layard, Richard & Sachs, Jeffrey, 2012. "World happiness report," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 47487, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    8. Beauregard, T. Alexandra & Henry, Lesley C., 2009. "Making the link between work-life balance practices and organizational performance," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 25224, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    9. Vanessa Gash & Antje Mertens & Laura Romeu Gordo, 2010. "Women between Part-Time and Full-Time Work: The Influence of Changing Hours of Work on Happiness and Life-Satisfaction," SOEPpapers on Multidisciplinary Panel Data Research 268, DIW Berlin, The German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP).
    10. Joachim Merz, 2002. "Time and Economic Well–Being—A Panel Analysis of Desired versus Actual Working Hours," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 48(3), pages 317-346, September.
    11. Alan Felstead & Nick Jewson & Sally Walters, 2003. "Managerial Control of Employees Working at Home," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 41(2), pages 241-264, June.
    12. Frijters, Paul & Haisken-DeNew, John P. & Shields, Michael A., 2005. "The causal effect of income on health: Evidence from German reunification," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 24(5), pages 997-1017, September.
    13. Frijters, Paul & Haisken-DeNew, John P. & Shields, Michael A., 2005. "The causal effect of income on health: Evidence from German reunification," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 24(5), pages 997-1017, September.
    14. Erich C. Fein & Natalie Skinner & M. Anthony Machin, 2017. "Work Intensification, Work–Life Interference, Stress, and Well-Being in Australian Workers," International Studies of Management & Organization, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 47(4), pages 360-371, September.
    15. Sabine Geurts & Debby Beckers & Toon Taris & Michiel Kompier & Peter Smulders, 2009. "Worktime Demands and Work-Family Interference: Does Worktime Control Buffer the Adverse Effects of High Demands?," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 84(2), pages 229-241, January.
    16. Oliver Hämmig & Georg Bauer, 2009. "Work-life imbalance and mental health among male and female employees in Switzerland," International Journal of Public Health, Springer;Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+), vol. 54(2), pages 88-95, April.
    17. John Helliwell & Haifang Huang & Shun Wang, 2014. "Social Capital and Well-Being in Times of Crisis," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 15(1), pages 145-162, February.
    18. Landers, Renee M & Rebitzer, James B & Taylor, Lowell J, 1996. "Rat Race Redux: Adverse Selection in the Determination of Work Hours in Law Firms," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 86(3), pages 329-348, June.
    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. David Bell & Steffen Otterbach & Alfonso Sousa-Poza, 2012. "Work Hours Constraints and Health," Annals of Economics and Statistics, GENES, issue 105-106, pages 35-54.
    2. Steffen Otterbach, 2010. "Mismatches Between Actual and Preferred Work Time: Empirical Evidence of Hours Constraints in 21 Countries," Journal of Consumer Policy, Springer, vol. 33(2), pages 143-161, June.
    3. Ricardo Pagan, 2017. "Impact of Working Time Mismatch on Job Satisfaction: Evidence for German Workers with Disabilities," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 18(1), pages 125-149, February.
    4. Argyro Avgoustaki & Almudena Cañibano, 2020. "Motivational Drivers of Extensive Work Effort: Are Long Hours Always Detrimental to Well‐being?," Industrial Relations: A Journal of Economy and Society, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 59(3), pages 355-398, July.
    5. Sousa-Poza, Alfonso & Ziegler, Alexandre, 2003. "Asymmetric information about workers' productivity as a cause for inefficient long working hours," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 10(6), pages 727-747, December.
    6. Robert Drago & Mark Wooden & David Black, 2009. "Long Work Hours: Volunteers and Conscripts," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 47(3), pages 571-600, September.
    7. Wunder, Christoph, 2016. "Working hours mismatch and well-being: comparative evidence from Australian and German panel data," VfS Annual Conference 2016 (Augsburg): Demographic Change 145544, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    8. Alameddine, Mohamad & Otterbach, Steffen & Rafii, Bayan & Sousa-Poza, Alfonso, 2018. "Work hour constraints in the German nursing workforce: A quarter of a century in review," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 122(10), pages 1101-1108.
    9. Michael C. Knaus & Steffen Otterbach, 2019. "Work Hour Mismatch And Job Mobility: Adjustment Channels And Resolution Rates," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 57(1), pages 227-242, January.
    10. Sarah Holly & Alwine Mohnen, 2012. "Impact of Working Hours on Work-Life Balance," SOEPpapers on Multidisciplinary Panel Data Research 465, DIW Berlin, The German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP).
    11. Irina Frei & Christian Grund, 2022. "Working-time mismatch and job satisfaction of junior academics," Journal of Business Economics, Springer, vol. 92(7), pages 1125-1166, September.
    12. Constant, Amelie F. & Otterbach, Steffen, 2011. "Work Hours Constraints: Impacts and Policy Implications," IZA Policy Papers 35, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    13. Wanger, Susanne, 2017. "What makes employees satisfied with their working time? : The role of working hours, time-sovereignty and working conditions for working time and job satisfaction," IAB-Discussion Paper 201720, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany].
    14. Andrew M. Bryce, 2019. "Weekend working in 21st century Britain:Does it matter for well-being?," Working Papers 2019007, The University of Sheffield, Department of Economics.
    15. Blanchflower, David G. & Oswald, Andrew J., 2008. "Is well-being U-shaped over the life cycle?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 66(8), pages 1733-1749, April.
    16. Andrew M. Jones & Eddy Van Doorslaer & Teresa Bago D’Uva & Silvia Balia & Lynn Gambin & Cristina Hernández Quevedo & Xander Koolman & Nigel Rice, 2006. "Health and Wealth: Empirical Findings and Political Consequences," Perspektiven der Wirtschaftspolitik, Verein für Socialpolitik, vol. 7(s1), pages 93-112, May.
    17. Lonnie Golden & Stuart Glosser, 2013. "Work sharing as a potential policy tool for creating more and better employment: A review of the evidence," Chapters, in: Jon C. Messenger & Naj Ghosheh (ed.), Work Sharing during the Great Recession, chapter 7, pages 203-258, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    18. Margareta Dackehag & Ulf-G. Gerdtham & Martin Nordin, 2015. "Productivity or discrimination? An economic analysis of excess-weight penalty in the Swedish labor market," The European Journal of Health Economics, Springer;Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gesundheitsökonomie (DGGÖ), vol. 16(6), pages 589-601, July.
    19. Buddelmeyer, Hielke & Cai, Lixin, 2009. "Interrelated Dynamics of Health and Poverty in Australia," IZA Discussion Papers 4602, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    20. Nicolas R. Ziebarth & Gert G. Wagner, 2013. "Top-down v. Bottom-up: The Long-Term Impact of Government Ideology and Personal Experience on Values," Discussion Papers of DIW Berlin 1280, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research.

    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:aop:jijoss:v:11:y:2022:i:2:p:24-44. 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: Jiri Rotschedl (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://ijoss.eurrec.org/ .

    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.