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Women between Part-Time and Full-Time Work: The Influence of Changing Hours of Work on Happiness and Life-Satisfaction

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Listed:
  • Vanessa Gash
  • Antje Mertens
  • Laura Romeu Gordo

Abstract

This paper asks whether part-time work makes women happy. Previous research on labour supply has assumed that as workers freely choose their optimal working hours on the basis of their innate preferences and the hourly wage rate, outcome reflects preference. This paper tests this assumption by measuring the impact of changes in working-hours on life satisfaction in two countries (the UK and Germany using the German Socio-Economic Panel and the British Household Panel Survey). We find decreases in working-hours bring about positive and significant improvement on well-being for women.

Suggested Citation

  • 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).
    • Handle: RePEc:diw:diwsop:diw_sp268
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Peter H van Der Meer & Rudi Wielers, 2011. "What makes workers happy?," Post-Print hal-00734530, HAL.
    2. Gerhard Meisenberg & Michael Woodley, 2015. "Gender Differences in Subjective Well-Being and Their Relationships with Gender Equality," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 16(6), pages 1539-1555, December.
    3. Masood A. Badri & Mugheer Alkhaili & Hamad Aldhaheri & Guang Yang & Muna Albahar & Asma Alrashdi, 2022. "Exploring the Reciprocal Relationships between Happiness and Life Satisfaction of Working Adults—Evidence from Abu Dhabi," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(6), pages 1-14, March.
    4. Pia S. Schober & Christian Schmitt, 2013. "Day-Care Expansion and Parental Subjective Well-Being: Evidence from Germany," SOEPpapers on Multidisciplinary Panel Data Research 602, DIW Berlin, The German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP).
    5. María Navarro, 2019. "Financial, Job and Health Satisfaction: A Comparative Approach on Working People," Societies, MDPI, vol. 9(2), pages 1-17, April.
    6. Sobia Shujat & Farooq-E-Azam Cheema & Faryal Bhutto, 2011. "Impact Of Work Life Balance On Employee Job Satisfaction In Private Banking Sector Of Karachi," IBT Journal of Business Studies (JBS), Ilma University, Faculty of Management Science, vol. 7(2), pages 7-2.
    7. 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).
    8. 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.
    9. Suppa, Nicolai, 2012. "Job Characteristics and Subjective Well-Being in Australia – A Capability Approach Perspective," Ruhr Economic Papers 388, RWI - Leibniz-Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, Ruhr-University Bochum, TU Dortmund University, University of Duisburg-Essen.
    10. de Moura, Mauricio Jose Serpa Barros & da Silveira Bueno, Rodrigo De Losso, 2013. "Land title program in Brazil: Are there any changes to happiness?," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 196-203.
    11. María Navarro, 2023. "Social-Cultural Capital and Domain Satisfaction," Hacienda Pública Española / Review of Public Economics, IEF, vol. 246(3), pages 37-70, September.
    12. Nicolai Suppa, 2012. "Job Characteristics and Subjective Well-Being in Australia – A Capability Approach Perspective," Ruhr Economic Papers 0388, Rheinisch-Westfälisches Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Universität Dortmund, Universität Duisburg-Essen.
    13. Hongsong Liang & Yinshan Tang & Xuexi Huo, 2014. "Liushou Women’s Happiness and its Influencing Factors in Rural China," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 117(3), pages 907-918, July.
    14. Coad, Alex & Binder, Martin, 2014. "Causal linkages between work and life satisfaction and their determinants in a structural VAR approach," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 124(2), pages 263-268.
    15. Nadiya Kelle, 2011. "Wandel von Erwerbsbeteilung westdeutscher Frauen nach der Erstgeburt: ein Vergleich der zwischen 1936 und 1965 geborenen Kohorten," SOEPpapers on Multidisciplinary Panel Data Research 406, DIW Berlin, The German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP).
    16. Sobia Shujat & Farooq-E-Azam Cheema & Faryal Bhutto, 2011. "Impact Of Work Life Balance On Employee Job Satisfaction In Private Banking Sector Of Karachi," IBT Journal of Business Studies (JBS), Ilma University, Faculty of Management Science, vol. 7(2), pages 8-15.
    17. Ilse Laurijssen & Ignace Glorieux, 2013. "Balancing Work and Family: A Panel Analysis of the Impact of Part-Time Work on the Experience of Time Pressure," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 112(1), pages 1-17, May.
    18. Hana Urbancová & Helena Čermáková & Hana Vostrovská, 2016. "Diversity Management in the Workplace," Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis, Mendel University Press, vol. 64(3), pages 1083-1092.
    19. repec:zbw:rwirep:0388 is not listed on IDEAS
    20. María Navarro & Wiemer Salverda, 2019. "Earner Position and Job and Life Satisfaction: Do Contributions to the Household Income have the Same Effect by Gender and Occupations?," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 20(7), pages 2227-2250, October.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Temporary Employment; Unemployment; Health;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J41 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Particular Labor Markets - - - Labor Contracts
    • J64 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Unemployment: Models, Duration, Incidence, and Job Search
    • I10 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - General

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