Impact of Working Time Mismatch on Job Satisfaction: Evidence for German Workers with Disabilities

This study examines the impact of working time mismatch (i.e. the discrepancy between actual and desired working hours) on individuals’ job satisfaction by disability status in Germany. Our particular interest is in testing the assumption that working time mismatch is a more serious problem among workers with disabilities as compared to workers without disabilities, especially concerning the presence of overemployment. Using longitudinal data from the German Socio-Economic Panel (1985–2011), we estimate a “Probit Adapted OLS” model which allows us to identify the factors affecting job satisfaction for people without and with disabilities. The results indicate that all workers suffering from working time mismatch are more likely to report lower levels of job satisfaction compared to those who actually work their desired hours. In addition, all selected groups of females with disabilities prefer lower hours of work per week compared to females without disabilities. Although overemployment is clearly more harmful in terms of job satisfaction than underemployment for all workers, its impact is even higher for females with disabilities as compared to their non-disabled counterparts. From a public policy perspective, these findings show the importance of reducing working time mismatch in general and overemployment in particular among females with disabilities in order to increase their levels of job satisfaction.     

Job Satisfaction and Domains of Job Satisfaction for Older Workers with Disabilities in Europe

This paper analyzes the levels of job satisfaction reported by older workers (aged 50–64) with and without disability by using an aggregating approach in which job satisfaction is seen as a combination of various job satisfaction domains (physical effort, time pressure, level of freedom, capability to develop new skills, support in the workplace, recognition of the work, salary, promotion prospect and job security). Using the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe, we estimate a two-layer model based on the interrelation between the different domains of job satisfaction and wherein the individual’s overall job satisfaction depends on each of these domains. The results show that the levels of satisfaction with the recognition of the work, support in difficult situations and physical effort have a significant effect on the overall job satisfaction reported by limited disabled workers. For this group, the trade-offs between the domains recognition with work and support and satisfaction with salary are especially high. These findings can help organizations, managers and policy makers to design or modify current jobs to make them more attractive in terms of satisfaction for limited disabled older workers.     

Job satisfaction and women's spheres of work

Job satisfaction for women workers is traditionally researched from the job-gender model in which sex roles generate the research framework. Women employed in the labor market are viewed as responding primarily to the confines of sex roles, as opposed to the structural rewards and constraints of the labor market itself. We reexamined earlier studies that found no effect of the labor market on job satisfaction for women. Reanalysis of the 1972–1973 Quality of Employment national survey revealed significantly different levels of job satisfaction, which are in part structured by the characteristics of the labor market sectors in which women and men work. Women working in labor market sectors that are predominantly male or have a balanced proportion of male and female workers jobs have high job satisfaction. This job satisfaction is predicted almost exclusively by their perceptions of fewer income problems, flexibility of hours, and use of job skills. Factors related to maternity benefits and leaves are related only marginally to job satisfaction for women workers in either labor market sector. Women in predominantly female sectors of the labor market have similarly high job satisfaction scores, but these are related to a wider cluster of factors, including fewer perceived income problems, skills, and challenge factors, as well as the socioemotional rewards of their work. This pattern is most similar to males who work in predominantly male sectors. In contrast, males who work in predominantly female or gender-proportionate jobs have significantly lower job satisfaction scores, even after controling for income issues and other benefits. Labor market sectors and the rewards available within them are important structural dimensions of job satisfaction for women and men employees.     

Regulating the Private Relations of Adults with Mental Disabilities: Old Laws,New Policies,Hollow Hopes

Recent legislative reforms have aimed to help people with mental disabilities pursue more “normal” lives. Yet, current laws regulating the mentally disableds' private relations continue to disenable them. Social scientists have asserted that people with mental disabilities vary widely in their individual competencies. Yet, laws tend to forgo an individualized approach to the mentally disabled in favor of broad restrictions on their rights to engage in sexual, marital, and parental relationships. Reviews of cases also show that when they challenge these restrictions, the mentally disabled tend to be required to demonstrate a higher level of morality and functioning than non-disabled. Reforming these restrictive legal rules requires an unlikely, but possible, concordance between social science and the law.     

Job Satisfaction,Organizational Commitment,and Religious Commitment of Full-Time University Employees

This study investigated the relationship of job satisfaction and organizational and religious commitment among full time workers at Akra University (a pseudonym) based on a number of demographic factors. Analysis of variance using the Games-Howell procedure revealed that workers who were older than age 46 years had higher job satisfaction and organizational and religious commitment than younger employees. It was also noted that workers holding doctoral degrees had higher levels of job satisfaction and religious commitment than individuals with a high school diploma only. It was evident that the longer employees stayed at this institution, the higher the levels of organizational commitment and extrinsic job satisfaction, and administrators and sector managers had higher levels of intrinsic job satisfaction and religious commitment than those in other occupational areas.     

The Role of Occupational Self-Efficacy in Mediating the Effect of Job Insecurity on Work Engagement,Satisfaction and General Health

This study explores the associations among job insecurity, occupational self-efficacy, work engagement, job satisfaction and health and the mediation role of occupational self-efficacy. Two hundred and forty-one workers, were asked to fill in the Occupational Self-Efficacy Scale, the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale, the Satisfaction Scale of Occupational Stress Inventory and the General Health Questionnaire. Mediation analysis was performed using the boot-strapping method. Job insecurity was negatively related to work engagement, job satisfaction and general health. Occupational self-efficacy mediated the relationship between job insecurity, work engagement, job satisfaction and health on employees in the private and public sectors. The originality of this work is that it shows the effect of job insecurity on engagement, satisfaction and health, and the mediational role of occupational self-efficacy. In a time of economic crisis, when it is not possible to guarantee permanent contracts, Human Resource managers might consider occupational self-efficacy as a resource when planning interventions.     

The Interaction of Job Satisfaction, Job Search, and Job Changes. An Empirical Investigation with German Panel Data

Using the rich data set of the German Socio-Economic Panel (GSOEP) this article analyzes the effects of job characteristics on job satisfaction as well as the conditions under which low job satisfaction leads to job search, and under which job search leads to job changes. Individual fixed effects are included into the analysis in order to hold unobserved heterogeneity constant. According to the empirical results, the strongest determinants of job satisfaction are relations with colleagues and supervisors, task diversity and job security. Furthermore, job satisfaction is an important determinant of the self-reported probability of job search, which in turn effectively predicts actual job changes. The effect of job search on the probability of changing jobs varies with job satisfaction and is strongest at low levels of job satisfaction. The effects of job dissatisfaction on job search and of job search on quits are stronger for workers with lower tenure, better educated workers, workers in the private sector and when the economy and labor market are in a good condition.     

Public and private schoolteachers' differences in terms of job attitudes in Albania

In the present study, the attitudinal differences between public and private schoolteachers in Albania were investigated. Since the type of the organization varies, one would expect different climates for the emergence of job attitudes--mainly job satisfaction, job involvement, and organizational commitment, the most frequently studied job attitudes in the industrial and organizational psychology literature. It was hypothesized that the private schoolteachers would be more satisfied than public schoolteachers, especially due to high levels of payment and other desirable conditions. However, the public schoolteachers will be more involved than the private schoolteachers since they have to justify their continued work under the undesirable conditions. The commitment level of the private schoolteachers will be higher than the public schoolteachers since there is usually high correlation between job satisfaction and organizational commitment. Data were gathered from a total of 429 teachers working in public (n = 254) and private (n = 175) schools in Albania, in high and middle schools. The data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of covariance with age as a covariate. The results indicated that the private schoolteachers were more satisfied, as expected, revealed a weaker job involvement and were more committed to their school than their colleagues in the public sector. The results were found to be in line with previous studies conducted in the west. However, this study is believed to have a potential contribution to the literature in general, and to the Albanian local literature in particular. To the knowledge of the authors, there has been no similar study in Albania. Discussion is provided along with the limitations of the study and suggestions for future research.     

Self-Actualization Need Strength: Moderator of Relationships Between Job Characteristics and Job Outcomes

The moderating effect of self-actualization need strength on the relationships between job characteristics and job outcomes was investigated. Results provide strong support for its effect on the relationships between job complexity and four of five outcome measures and suggest that responses of workers in the public and private sectors are similar.     

Genetic Counsellors and Private Practice: Professional Turbulence and Common Values

Genetic counsellors face tensions between past and future identities: between established values and goals, and a broadening scope of settings and activities. This study examines the advent of genetic counsellors in private practice in Australia and New Zealand from the perspectives of the small numbers working in this sector and those who have only worked in public practice. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 16 genetic counsellors who had experience in private practice, and 14 genetic counsellors without private sector experience. Results demonstrated that circumstantial and personal factors can mitigate the challenges experienced and the amount of support desired by those who had established a private practice, and those who were employed by private companies. Notably, most participants with private sector experience perceived themselves to be viewed negatively by other genetic counsellors. Most participants without private sector experience expressed concern that the challenges they believed genetic counsellors face in private practice may impact service quality, but wished to address such concerns by providing appropriate support. Together, our results reinforce that participants in private and public sectors are strong advocates for peer support, multidisciplinary team work, and professional development. These core values, and seeking understanding of different circumstances and support needs, will enable genetic counsellors in different sectors to move forward together. Our results suggest supports that may be acted upon by members of the profession, professional groups, and training programs, in Australia, New Zealand, and overseas.     

Corporate culture and the employment of persons with disabilities

This article addresses key questions arising from the economic and social disparities that individuals with disabilities experience in the United States. For instance, “What role does corporate culture play in the employment of people with disabilities?” “How does it facilitate or hinder their employment and promotional opportunities, and how can corporations develop supportive cultures that benefit people with disabilities, non‐disabled employees, and the organization as a whole?” Corporate culture can create attitudinal, behavioral, and physical barriers for workers and job applicants with disabilities. This research concludes that if the employment prospects of people with disabilities are to be improved significantly, attention must be paid to the ways in which corporate culture creates or reinforces obstacles to employees with disabilities, and how these obstacles can be removed or overcome. Ultimately, we will make the case that corporate culture and societal attitudes must change if people with disabilities are to be accepted and incorporated fully into the workplace. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Counseling the Disabled Older Person for the World of Work

Although work is meaningful to many older persons, numerous barriers exist that prohibit their active participation in the labor force. Employment counselors must possess a variety of attributes to help break down these barriers. This article discusses skills that the counselor needs when working with older adults and in particular with those who are disabled. Specialized approaches to job placement are discussed, including job modification and job restructuring. To become a successful advocate for the disabled elderly wishing to enter or remain in the labor market, the employment counselor is urged to become familiar with characteristics of older persons and federal laws relating to job development and placement for older and handicapped workers.     

Impact of Applicant Disability on Selection: The Role of Disability Type, Physical Attractiveness, and Proximity

A laboratory experiment contrasting disabled and non-disabled job applicants assessed the impact of disability type, physical attractiveness, and proximity of the job opening to the decision maker. Physically disabled applicants were rated higher than either non-disabled or mentally disabled applicants. However, some evidence was found of a bias against disabled applicants, particularly the mentally disabled, when the position involved was in close proximity to the decision maker.     

Employment of persons with disabilities in information technology jobs: literature review for "IT works"

This article reviews relevant literature as to the labor pool of qualified individuals with disabilities and employment in information technology (IT) sector jobs. First, the article reviews the empirical literature on barriers to employment in IT for persons with disabilities. The examination then is extended to studies of barriers to employment for individuals with disabilities in other employment sectors. Findings illustrate the limited experiences that IT and non-IT companies have in employing and accommodating employees with disabilities. Implications are discussed for enhancing the employment of qualified workers with disabilities in IT through research, education, training, and mentoring programs.     

Actual and perceived attitudes of wheelchair users

The sub-section of the disabled population who use a wheelchair has largely been neglected in the research Concerned with attitudes towards people with a disability. This study had two aims: firstly, to compare the attitudes towards wheelchair users of able-bodied people with people who actually use a wheelchair, and secondly, to examine the difference between how each group perceives the attitudes of the other towards this condition. The results revealed a number of interesting differences between the expressed attitudes of the two groups, although their overall mean scores were comparable. The wheelchair user group were found to believe non-disabled people to hold more negative attitudes than they actually expressed. A few age and sex differences were found, as well as a number of differences depending on whether the respondents had congenital or acquired disabilities. Finally, the amount of contact with those using wheelchairs was found to be associated with slightly more realistic attitudes among the non-disabled respondents. The results are discussed in the light of previous research, and possible reasons for, and ways to counter, the lack of empathy between the two groups are considered.     

The influence of workplace discrimination and vigilance on job satisfaction with people who stutter

Purpose The purpose of the present study is to examine the association between workplace discrimination, vigilance, and job satisfaction in people who stutter and compare this with people who do not stutter. Method Seventy-two people who stutter (PWS) and 92 people who do not stutter (PWNS) participated in an online survey. Participants completed a survey assessing 6 different areas: (a) background information, (b) job satisfaction, (c) everyday discrimination, and (d) heightened vigilance. Mediation analyses were conducted to evaluate the relationship between the independent variables and dependent variable. Results There was a relationship between being a PWS and job satisfaction, discrimination, and vigilance. PWS were found to experience higher discrimination as well as be more vigilant. Discrimination and vigilance were found to mediate the relationship between stuttering and job satisfaction. Conclusion Results of this study indicate that the participants who stutter differ from PWNS in their job satisfaction, discrimination, and vigilance. Clinicians can prepare PWS with self-advocacy strategies, legal knowledge of what their rights are as an employee who identifies as a person who stutters with a disability, a legal understanding of workplace discrimination, and counseling on the impact of vigilance on workplace experiences.     

Predicting Job‐Related Expectancies and Affective Reactions to Employees With Disabilities From Previous Work Experience1

The relationship between the quality of previous work experience with a coworker who was disabled, job‐related expectancies of employees with disabilities, and affective reactions to employees with disabilities was investigated. Data from individuals who had worked with a coworker who was disabled were collected via an Internet‐based survey. The quality of previous experience with coworkers with disabilities predicted job‐related expectancies of employees with disabilities and affective reactions to employees with disabilities. More positive work experiences were associated with more positive expectancies and affective reactions. The relationship between previous experience and affective reactions was mediated by job‐related expectancies. Perceptions of increased job difficulty that were attributed to a coworker who was disabled predicted less positive job‐related expectancies and affective reactions.     

Disability and Life Satisfaction in Italy

During the last decades, the socio-economic policy agenda has devoted an increasing attention to the inclusion of disabled people into society. It follows that understanding the drivers of life outcomes and conditions of disabled people is essential to analyze the sources of disadvantaged positions.This paper brings evidence on the predictors of life satisfaction of disabled people in Italy, focusing on four specific dimensions (relations with relatives and friends, economic conditions, and leisure time) and analyzing information on people with functional limitations and health problems, as provided by the 2011 ISTAT survey.Estimation results show that household structure, health and disability status affect life satisfaction more significantly than personal and income variables. Education attainments significantly affect satisfaction with the economic conditions. In addition, support in daily activities may increase satisfaction with economic conditions and leisure time, suggesting that providing non-monetary support would be effective in increasing life satisfaction, especially in those domains requiring freedom of movement. Finally, we find that older disabled people are, on average, more satisfied than younger disabled people, while gender is relevant when interacted with the household type.     

Does Positive Attitude Matter Only for Older Workers? Evidence from Simultaneous Estimation of Job Satisfaction,Wage and Positive Attitude in the United States

The current study tests two hypotheses. First, it claims that the worker’s job satisfaction is related not only to the objective variable wage rate, but also to the psychological variable positive attitude, and that all three variables are simultaneously related. Second, the study predicts that the psychological variable positive attitude as a covariate of job satisfaction matters more for matured adults who are already settled in their desired jobs than younger workers who may still be in search of their preferred employment. Using data on matured adults and younger adults from the United States and following a two-stage procedure the current study estimates job satisfaction, wage and positive attitude equations in a simultaneous equations framework. The study confirms the presence of this simultaneous relationship, and demonstrates that the job satisfaction of matured adults in fact is related to both objective (wage) and subjective (attitude) factors. For younger workers, however, wage, and not positive attitude, emerges as a significant covariate of their job satisfaction. Since positive attitude plays a significant role in the determination of their wages, it is related to their job satisfaction only indirectly through higher wages. Positive attitude thus benefits both older and younger workers thorough different channels. The study further presents interesting results on the covariates of wage and positive attitude which remain disguised when the simultaneous relationship among these three variables is ignored.     

Relationship of job satisfaction and productivity to work values of vocational education graduates

The relationships of job satisfaction and job productivity to work values of a randomly selected sample of beginning workers who graduated from public vocational education programs were investigated. Workers with intrinsic work value orientation seem to be more satisfied with their job and are more productive than are those with extrinsic work value orientation. In addition, workers with a broader perception of the meaning of work seem to be more satisfied with their job than are those with a relatively narrow perception of the meaning of work.