The Role of Work-Life Balance and Worker Scheduling Flexibility in Predicting Global Comparative Job Satisfaction

Abstract

Prior research has indicated that the nature of work has changed dramatically in recent years in response to economic shifts and an increasingly global economy. In part, this shift has resulted in a greater efficacy of various work-life balance and worker schedule flexibility elements in the experiences of employees in the workplace. However, little is known about the overall comparative quality of work and job satisfaction around the world in response to a shifting and increasingly interconnected global economy. In this study, we use non-panel longitudinal data from the most recent wave of the International Social Survey Program (Work Orientations IV, 2015) to conduct an exploratory comparative analysis of the impact of various workplace conditions, job characteristics, and employee attitudes in relation to comparative job satisfaction across the globe, with a special focus on the role of work-life balance and worker scheduling flexibility. Employees across the globe respond quite differently to work scenarios, which poses challenges for companies operating in multiple countries, requires adjustments to human resource practices to optimize performance levels of employees and reduce turnover expenses, and should caution managers to scrutinize their procedures to adjust to new demands in the workplace. This study adds value by making global comparisons of various workplace factors and their impact on job satisfaction using a database reflecting practices in 37 countries.