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Life Satisfaction, Pro-Activity, and Employment

Author

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  • Akay, Alpaslan
  • Karabulut, Gökhan
  • Yilmaz, Levent

Abstract

Using longitudinal data from the German Socio-Economic Panel (GSOEP), this paper investigates how pro-active time-use (e.g., in sports/arts/socializing) relates to subjective well-being of the unemployed and their probability of finding a new job. Allowing for a variety of socio-demographic and -economic observed characteristics, we find that pro-activity is negatively associated with the well-being loss upon unemployment. That is, the negative unemployment shock on their well-being is mitigated through various stress-reducing activities including, in particular, art participation, socializing, going on trips, and visiting a church. We also find that the probability of returning to the labor market later is positively associated with pro-activity during the unemployment period. The results are robust to various checks including estimators, measures, and individual personality characteristics which can correlate with time-use activities.

Suggested Citation

  • Akay, Alpaslan & Karabulut, Gökhan & Yilmaz, Levent, 2021. "Life Satisfaction, Pro-Activity, and Employment," GLO Discussion Paper Series 784, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:glodps:784
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Life satisfaction; pro-activity; employment; labor markets;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I31 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General Welfare, Well-Being
    • J64 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Unemployment: Models, Duration, Incidence, and Job Search
    • J69 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Other

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