Job quality, gender and generations: A comparative and exploratory analysis of European countries

Abstract

This study conducts a comparative analysis of European countries regarding job quality and its relationship with gender and generational cohorts, using data from the 2021 European Working Conditions Survey. The research focuses on the subjective evaluations of job quality by European workers and examines how gender and generations may be related with these perceptions. The study operationalizes job quality using the European Intrinsic Job Quality Index, a multidimensional measure encompassing various aspects such as autonomy, interaction, intensity, and meaningful. The results show relevant variations in Intrinsic Job Quality across European countries. The study also finds that gender and generations play a role in shaping the perception of job quality. The findings of this study contribute to the ongoing debate on the importance of job quality for wellbeing and highlight the need for targeted interventions to improve job quality, particularly taking into account specific groups. The study's results also underscore the importance of considering the subjective evaluations of job quality in policy-making and the need for more comprehensive measures of job quality that capture the diverse experiences of workers across Europe.