Job Satisfaction in Canada – Workers whose job gives them some control over their hours of work report higher levels

Workers whose job gives them some control over their hours of work report higher levels of job satisfaction, according to a new study based on the Longitudinal and International Study of Adults (LISA).

The new study, published in Insights on Canadian Society, examines the relationship between the two key concepts of job flexibility and job satisfaction among Canadian workers aged 18 to 64.

Workers who are satisfied with their job are more likely to remain at their current job. Understanding what factors affect job satisfaction is therefore important.

Key findings

• Among men and women aged 18 to 64, about one-half were satisfied with their job. Respondents are considered to be “satisfied” if they report a score of 8 or higher to a job satisfaction question, where 0 corresponds to “very dissatisfied” and 10 corresponds to “very satisfied.”
• Several facets of job flexibility are measured in the Longitudinal and International Study of Adults (LISA). About 40% of both men and women reported a high to a very high extent of control over their order of work. About 37% of men and 33% of women reported a high or a very high extent of control over how the work is done.
  In addition, 3 in 10 men and women indicated that they had a high or a very high extent of control over the speed of work. About 2 in 10 men and women reported that they had a high or a very high extent of control over their hours of work.
• Of the four facets of job flexibility mentioned above, control over the hours of work was most strongly associated with job satisfaction for both men and women, even after accounting for other factors associated with job satisfaction.
• The association between control over hours of work and job satisfaction was stronger among younger individuals. Workers aged 18 to 33 who had a high to a very high extent of control over their hours of work were 17 percentage points more likely to be satisfied with their job than those who had less control, compared with 7 percentage points for those aged 34 to 49.

Chosen excerpts by Job Market Monitor. Read the whole story at  The Daily — Study: The association between job flexibility and job satisfaction