The Impact of the Different Dimensions of Job Quality on Job Satisfaction in the Public and Private sector. What is Wrong with the Social Environment?

Abstract

This work considers the impact of the different job quality dimensions on Eurozone job satisfaction through the European Working Conditions Survey-2015. The econometric analysis, using a probit model (marginal effects), reveals that dimensions associated with Social environment, Skills and discretion, Prospects, and Earnings have a positive and significant impact on job satisfaction. The impact of Work intensity is negative and those related to Physical environment and Working time quality do not have a significant impact on job satisfaction. Regarding the differential impact of the different dimensions on the public and private sectors, both Prospects and Social environment are notably higher in the private sector. The greater impact of the first index is not justified, as is the case with the Social environment, by a lower index but, probably, by the greater variability of the index in the private sector. Our work emphasizes the relevance of studying variables associated to job quality when identifying the causes of job satisfaction. Greater understanding of these dimensions in the private sector would improve the situation in the public sector (and vice versa) and, therefore, workers’ job satisfaction. Of special interest are the possible improvements in the field of Social environment in the public sector, specifically in relationships between workers and their immediate bosses and in the distribution of work tasks.