Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Employment Flexibility and Job Security as Determinants of Job Satisfaction: The Case of Polish Knowledge Workers

  • Published:
Social Indicators Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A number of empirical studies have shown a positive influence of employment stability on job satisfaction. Employment stability, usually measured by the type of contract an individual has, may affect one’s job satisfaction directly, as well as through its impact on other relative variables, such as job security, since a stable position seems to bring individuals a sense of security. The aim of our research is to investigate the relationships between job security, employment stability and job satisfaction of workers in Poland. In the study, we strive to show how these factors impact knowledge workers and other workers differently. In order to conduct analysis, we propose two logistic models, separate for these two groups, with job satisfaction as a dependent variable and type of contract and three items denoting different dimensions of job insecurity: an insecure source of income, too many duties to cope with and being treated unjustly at the workplace, as independent variables. The robustness of the models has been defended by the introduction of the time dimension. The results show that job insecurity is the most influential factor in the model of job satisfaction for all employees. However, this impact differs depending on the employment arrangements. Flexible workers are much more vulnerable to job insecurities in terms of job satisfaction. Another finding is that the job satisfaction of knowledge workers is more influenced by job security.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bardasi, E., & Francesconi, M. (2004). The impact of atypical employment on individual wellbeing: Evidence from a panel of British workers. Social Science and Medicine, 58(9), 1671–1688.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Beatson, M. (1994). Labour market flexibility, Research Series 48. Moorfoot: Employment Department.

  • Booth, A. L., Francesconi, M., & Frank, J. (2002). Temporary jobs: Stepping stones or dead ends? The Economic Journal, 112(480), 189–213.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brinkley, I. (2006). Defining the knowledge economy. Knowledge economy programme report. London: The work foundation.

  • Burón, C. G. (2007). Satisfacción laboral y tipo de contrato en España (Job Satisfaction and type of contract in Spain). Investigaciones económicas, 31(3), 415–444.

    Google Scholar 

  • Burroni, L., & Keune, M. (2011). Flexicurity: A conceptual critique. European Journal of Industrial Relations, 17(1), 75–91.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Central Statistical Office of Poland (2014). Annual macroeconomic indicators. http://stat.gov.pl/en/poland-macroeconomic-indicators/. Accessed September 15, 2014.

  • Clark, A. E. (1997). Job satisfaction and gender: Why are women so happy at work? Labour Economics, 4(4), 341–372.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clark, A., Oswald, A., & Warr, P. (1996). Is job satisfaction U-shaped in age? Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 69(1), 57–81.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Czapiński, J., & Panek, T. (2011). Social diagnosis 2011. Objective and subjective quality of life in Poland—full report (Special issue). Contemporary Economics. 5(3), 160–270.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Czapiński, J., & Panek, T. (2013). Social diagnosis 2013. Objective and subjective quality of life in Poland—full report (Special issue). Contemporary Economics, 7, 160–270.

    Google Scholar 

  • Davenport, T. H. (2005). Thinking for a living: How to get better performances and results from knowledge workers. Harvard: Harvard Business Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Drucker, P. F. (1993). Post-capitalist society. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann Limited.

    Google Scholar 

  • Easterlin, R. E. (1974). Does economic growth improve the human lot? Some empirical evidence. Nations and Households in Economic Growth, 89, 89–125.

    Google Scholar 

  • Easterlin, R. E., McVey, L. A., Switek, M., Sawangfa, O., & Zweig, J. S. (2010). The happiness-income paradox revisited. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 107(52), 22463–22468.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • European Commission (2007). Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions, Brussels.

  • European Commission (2013a). Eurostat—Labour force survey: Self-employment by sex, age and occupation (1000). http://appsso.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/nui/show.do?dataset=lfsa_esgais&lang=en. Accessed March 17, 2014.

  • European Commission (2013b). Eurostat—Labour force survey: Temporary employees as percentage of the total number of employees, by sex and age (%). http://appsso.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/nui/show.do?dataset=lfsa_etpga&lang=en. Accessed March 17, 2014.

  • European Commission (2013c). Eurostat—Labour force survey: Unemployment rates by sex, age and nationality (%). http://appsso.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/nui/show.do?dataset=lfsa_urgan&lang=en. Accessed September 03, 2014.

  • Fullerton, A. S., Robertson, D. L., & Dixon, J. C. (2011). Reexamining the relationship between flexibility and insecurity: A multilevel study of perceived job insecurity in 27 European countries. Research in the Sociology of Work, 22, 9–41.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Greenhalgh, L., & Rosenblatt, Z. (1984). Job Insecurity: Toward Conceptual Clarity. Academy of Management Review, 9(3), 438–448.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hackman, R., & Oldham, G. R. (1976). Motivation through the Design of Work: Test of a Theory. Organizational behavior and human performance, 16, 250–279.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Herzberg, F. (1964). The motivation-hygiene concept and problems of manpower. Personnel Administration, 27, 3–7.

  • Judge, T. A., Thoresen, C. J., Bono, J. E., & Patton, G. K. (2001). The job satisfaction-job performance relationship: A qualitative and quantitative review. Psychological Bulletin, 127(3), 376–407.

  • Judge, T. A., & Watanabe, S. (1993). Another look at the job satisfaction-life satisfaction relationship. Journal of Applied Psychology, 78(6), 939–948.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lange, T. (2009). Attitudes, attributes and institutions: Determining job satisfaction in Central and Eastern Europe. Employee Relations, 31(1), 81–97.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lévy-Garboua, L., & Montmarquette, C. (2004). Reported job satisfaction: What does it mean? The Journal of Socio-Economics, 33(2), 135–151.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lévy-Garboua, L., Montmarquette, C., & Simonnet, V. (2007). Job satisfaction and quits. Labour Economics, 14(2), 251–268.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Locke, E. A. (1969). What is job satisfaction? Organizational Behavior and Human Performance, 4(4), 309–336.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Locke, E. A. (1976). The nature and causes of job satisfaction. In M. D. Dunnette (Ed.), Handbook of industrial and organizational psychology (pp. 1297–1349). Chicago: Rand McNally.

  • Millán, J. M., et al. (2011). Determinants of job satisfaction: A European comparison of self-employed and paid employees. Small Business Economics, 40(3), 651–670.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morgan, G., Wood, J., & Nelligan, P. (2013). Beyond the vocational fragments: Creative work, precarious labour and the idea of “Flexploitation”. The Economic and Labour Relations Review, 24(3), 397–415.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Narodowy Bank Polski (2014). Middle exchange rates archive. http://www.nbp.pl/homen.aspx?c=/ascx/ArchAen.ascx. Accessed September 03, 2014.

  • Origo, F., & Pagani, L. (2009). Flexicurity and job satisfaction in Europe: The importance of perceived and actual job stability for well-being at work. Labour Economics, 16(5), 547–555.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rada Monitoringu Społecznego (2011). Diagnoza społeczna: Zintegrowana baza danych (Social Diagnosis: Integrated data base). http://www.diagnoza.com/. Accessed May 20, 2013.

  • Rada Monitoringu Społecznego (2013). Diagnoza Społeczna: Zintegrowana baza danych [Social Diagnosis: Integrated database]. http://www.diagnoza.com/ Accessed August 17, 2014.

  • Rain, J. S. (1991). A current look at the job satisfaction/life satisfaction relationship: Review and future considerations. Human Relations, 44(3), 287–307.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rode, J. C. (2004). Job satisfaction and life satisfaction revisited: A longitudinal test of an integrated model. Human Relations, 57(9), 1205–1230.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Silla, I., et al. (2008). Job insecurity and well-being: Moderation by employability. Journal of Happiness Studies, 10(6), 739–751.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stevenson, B., & Wolfers, J. (2008). Economic growth and subjective well-being: Reassessing the easterlin paradox. Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, 2008, 1–87.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sverke, M., & Hellgren, J. (2002). The nature of job insecurity: Understanding employment uncertainty on the Brink of a new millennium. Applied Psychology: An International Review, 51(1), 23–42.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Warhurst, C., & Thompson, P. (2006). Mapping knowledge in work: Proxies or practices? Work, Employment & Society, 20(4), 787–800.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wright, T., & Cropanzano, R. (2000). Psychological weil-being and job satisfaction as predictors of job performance. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 5(1), 84–94.

  • Witte, H. D. E. (2005). Job insecurity: Review of the international literature on definitions, prevalence, antecedents and consequences. SA Journal of Industrial Psychology, 31(4), 1–6.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Internet Interdisciplinary Institute, Open University of Catalonia, Avenida Tibidabo 39–43, C.P.08035, Barcelona, Spain

    Aleksandra Wilczyńska

  2. Interdisciplinary Centre for Mathematical and Computational Modelling, University of Warsaw, ul. Pawinskiego 5a, 02-106, Warsaw, Poland

    Dominik Batorski

  3. Economics and Business Studies, Internet Interdisciplinary Institute, Open University of Catalonia, Avenida Tibidabo 39–43, C.P.08035, Barcelona, Spain

    Joan Torrent Sellens

Authors
  1. Aleksandra Wilczyńska
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Dominik Batorski
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Joan Torrent Sellens
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Aleksandra Wilczyńska.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Wilczyńska, A., Batorski, D. & Sellens, J.T. Employment Flexibility and Job Security as Determinants of Job Satisfaction: The Case of Polish Knowledge Workers. Soc Indic Res 126, 633–656 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-015-0909-6

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-015-0909-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation