Understanding executive women´s perspectives on job satisfaction and their different domains

Abstract

This paper studies gender differences in job satisfaction considering job rank (managers, self-employed and employees) using the Spanish Quality of Life Survey (SQLS) for Spain throughout the period 2006-2010 and the sixth European Working Conditions Survey (EWCS) prepared in 2015, to test if the so-called "paradox of female contented worker" will extend to all ranked positions. Differences in job satisfaction by gender and job rank are analysed at an aggregated level and in terms of satisfaction with salary, promotion prospects, working hours, flexibility, stability, stress and work environment. Econometric estimations, using ordinary least squares method, are carried out and the results show that being a woman increases job satisfaction at an aggregated level. Occupying higher rank positions and being self-employed also increases job satisfaction. However, interactions for females between high and low-level managerial positions have a significant negative influence on job satisfaction. This interaction especially penalizes satisfaction in terms of promotion, working hours, work flexibility and stability.