Job mobility and subjective well-being in Europe. Do highly mobile workers feel worse?

Abstract

One of the consequences of globalisation is an increase in the working population's geographical mobility. This mobility can have important effects for individuals, both positively and negatively, on well-being. Based on both waves of the survey Job Mobilities and Family Life (2007 and 2011), we will discuss the impact of entering, leaving and staying in mobility compared to not being mobile on subjective well-being, controlling for other relevant transitions in life (partnership, parenthood, health and financial situation), as well as gender. As analytic strategy we will use OLS regression models of the changes between both waves of four SWB indicators. Results show that SWB indicators have changed for most of the interviewed persons during the period under observation. These changes are not all random, but are related in different degree with the variables under analysis. Whilst satisfaction with work is related with mobility transitions in the expected direction, in the case of life satisfaction the impact of spatial mobility operates mainly through its impact on job satisfaction, which in turn depends on the balance of advantages and cost derived from mobility. In the case of stress, no clear relationship with mobility patterns can be identified once controlled for other relevant variables.