Job Satisfaction and Co-worker Wages: Status or Signal?
Author(s) / Creator(s)
Clark, Andrew E.
Kristensen, Nikolai
Westergård-Nielsen, Niels
Abstract / Description
This paper uses matched employer-employee panel data to show that individual job
satisfaction is higher when other workers in the same establishment are better-paid. This runs contrary to a large literature which has found evidence of income comparisons in subjective well-being. We argue that the difference hinges on the nature of the reference group. We here use co-workers. Their wages not only induce jealousy, but also provide a signal about the worker's own future earnings. Our positive estimated coefficient on others' wages shows that this positive future earnings signal outweighs any negative status effect. This phenomenon is stronger for men, and in the private sector.
Keyword(s)
Arbeitszufriedenheit Kollege Gehalt Vergleich Erwartung Wettkampf Arbeitszufriedenheit Kollege Gehalt Vergleich Erwartung Wettkampf job satisfaction co-workers comparison income wage expectations tournamentsPersistent Identifier
Date of first publication
2007
Is part of series
Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit/ Institute for the Study of Labor: IZA Discussion Paper Series;3073
Citation
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dp3073.pdfAdobe PDF - 196.29KBMD5: 9c0f43808186f0f9a1f7f1c9b59529ff
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There are no other versions of this object.
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Author(s) / Creator(s)Clark, Andrew E.
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Author(s) / Creator(s)Kristensen, Nikolai
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Author(s) / Creator(s)Westergård-Nielsen, Niels
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PsychArchives acquisition timestamp2022-11-17T11:04:53Z
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Made available on2008-06-03
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Made available on2015-12-01T10:32:09Z
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Made available on2022-11-17T11:04:53Z
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Date of first publication2007
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Abstract / DescriptionThis paper uses matched employer-employee panel data to show that individual job satisfaction is higher when other workers in the same establishment are better-paid. This runs contrary to a large literature which has found evidence of income comparisons in subjective well-being. We argue that the difference hinges on the nature of the reference group. We here use co-workers. Their wages not only induce jealousy, but also provide a signal about the worker's own future earnings. Our positive estimated coefficient on others' wages shows that this positive future earnings signal outweighs any negative status effect. This phenomenon is stronger for men, and in the private sector.en
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Persistent Identifierhttps://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bsz:291-psydok-16213
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Persistent Identifierhttps://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11780/1085
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Persistent Identifierhttps://doi.org/10.23668/psycharchives.9054
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Language of contenteng
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Is part ofIZA Discussion Paper Series No. 3073
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Is part of seriesForschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit/ Institute for the Study of Labor: IZA Discussion Paper Series;3073
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Keyword(s)Arbeitszufriedenheitde
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Keyword(s)Kollegede
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Keyword(s)Gehaltde
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Keyword(s)Vergleichde
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Keyword(s)Erwartungde
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Keyword(s)Wettkampfde
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Keyword(s)Arbeitszufriedenheitde
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Keyword(s)Kollegede
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Keyword(s)Gehaltde
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Keyword(s)Vergleichde
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Keyword(s)Erwartungde
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Keyword(s)Wettkampfde
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Keyword(s)job satisfactionen
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Keyword(s)co-workersen
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Keyword(s)comparison incomeen
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Keyword(s)wage expectationsen
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Keyword(s)tournamentsen
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Dewey Decimal Classification number(s)150
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TitleJob Satisfaction and Co-worker Wages: Status or Signal?en
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DRO typereport
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Visible tag(s)PsyDok