Job attitudes of part-time vs. full-time workers: A meta-analytic review

Abstract

A meta-analysis was conducted (k=38, N=51,231) to examine the size of the difference between full- and part-time employees on job attitudes. Results indicated that there was little difference between full-time (FT) and part-time (PT) employees on job satisfaction, organizational commitment, intentions to leave and facets of job satisfaction. Full-time employees were found to be more involved with their jobs than PT employees (dc=0.39). Moderating variables were examined (type of job, sex of the sample and sampling strategy used), but these variables explained little of the variability in effect sizes across the studies. An additional analysis of voluntary vs. involuntary employment status was conducted on job satisfaction, but only small differences were found. The theoretical implications are discussed.