Discover how job satisfaction differed between men and women during COVID-19. This study explores key drivers of workplace happiness, the impact of remote work, and strategies for organizations to foster an equitable and engaging work environment.
The COVID-19 pandemic brought unprecedented changes to the workplace, reshaping job expectations, work-life balance, and overall job satisfaction. As companies adapted to remote work and employees navigated new challenges, understanding how job satisfaction evolved became essential. A recent study explores how men and women experienced job satisfaction differently during this period and what organizations can learn to foster a more engaging and supportive work environment.
While men and women reported similar levels of job satisfaction, the factors that influenced their satisfaction varied significantly. The study identified that women were more influenced by intrinsic rewards such as job autonomy and the opportunity to contribute meaningfully to society. On the other hand, men’s job satisfaction was more strongly linked to extrinsic factors, including job security and compensation. These findings underscore the importance of recognizing diverse motivators in employee engagement strategies.
The shift to remote work was widely seen as a game-changer for flexibility and work-life balance. However, the study reveals that while men reported increased job satisfaction from working remotely, women did not experience the same benefit. Many women faced additional responsibilities at home, including caregiving and household management, making remote work more of a challenge than an advantage. This highlights the need for companies to develop flexible work policies that support all employees equitably.
One of the strongest predictors of job satisfaction for both men and women was positive relationships with management. Employees who felt supported and valued by their leaders reported higher levels of job satisfaction, reinforcing the critical role of leadership in fostering a thriving work culture. Effective communication, trust, and professional development opportunities can significantly enhance workplace engagement and retention.
To build a more satisfied and engaged workforce, companies must adopt tailored approaches that acknowledge and address gender-specific job satisfaction drivers. Here are some actionable steps:
As organizations continue to adapt in a post-pandemic world, understanding what drives job satisfaction is more important than ever. By taking a proactive approach and fostering an inclusive, supportive work environment, companies can enhance employee well-being, reduce turnover, and create a culture where all employees thrive.
Access the full article here: https://articlearchives.co/index.php/JBD/article/view/1922
Andrade, M.S., & Westover, J.H. (2018a). Generational differences in work quality characteristics and
job satisfaction. Evidence-based HRM, 6(3), 287–304. https://doi.org/10.1108/EBHRM-03-2018-0020
Andrade, M.S., & Westover, J.H. (2018b). Revisiting the impact of age on job satisfaction: A global comparative examination. The Global Studies Journal, 1(4), 1–24. https://doi.org/10.18848/1835 4432/CGP/v11i04/1-24
Andrade, M.S., Miller, D., & Westover, J.H. (2021). Job satisfaction and gender: A global comparison of
job satisfaction in the hospitality industry. Journal of Quality Assurance in Hospitality & Tourism, 23(3), 669–691.https://doi.org/10.1080/1528008X.2021.1911728
Andrade, M.S., Schill, A., Westover, J.H., & King, C. (2021). A cross-national comparison: Job satisfaction and gender. Journal of Business Diversity, 21(3), 1–34. https://doi.org/10.33423/jbd.v21i3
Andrade, M.S., Westover, J.H., & Kupka, A. (2019). The role of work-life balance and worker scheduling flexibility in predicting global comparative job satisfaction. International Journal of HumanResource Studies, 9(2), 80–115. https://doi.org/10.5296/ijhrs.v9i2.14375
Andrade, M.S., Westover, J.H., & Peterson, J. (2019). Job satisfaction and gender. Journal of Business
Diversity, 19(3), 22–40. https://doi.org/10.33423/jbd.v19i3.2211
Baeza, M., Gonzalez, J.A., & Wong, Y. (2018). Job flexibility and job satisfaction among Mexican
professionals: A socio-cultural explanation. Employee Relations, 40(5), 921–942. https://doi.org/10.1108/ER-12-2016-0236
Bender, K.A., Donohue, S.A., & Heywood, J.S. (2005). Job satisfaction and gender segregation. Oxford
Economic Papers, 57(3), 479–496. https://doi.org/10.1093/oep/gpi015
Boston College Center for Work & Family. (2020). COVID-19 impact on women in the workplace.
Retrieved from https://www.bc.edu/content/dam/files/centers/cwf/research/Publication%20Images/COVID%20st
and-alone%2012-7-20.pdf
Burton, A., & McGlaufin, P. (2022). Women are reentering the workplace, but employers will have to do
more for them to stick around. Fortune. Retrieved fromhttps://fortune.com/2022/09/15/women-
reentering-workplace-employers-do-more-stick-around/
Chung, H. (2020, March 30). Return of the 1950s housewife? How to stop coronavirus lockdown
reinforcing sexist gender roles. The Conversation. Retrieved from
https://theconversation.com/return-of-the-1950s-housewife-how-to-stop-coronavirus-lockdown-
reinforcing-sexistgender-roles-134851
Clark, A. (1997). Job satisfaction and gender: Why are women so happy at work? Labour Economics,
4(4), 341–372. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0927-5371(97)00010-9
Deloitte. (2020). Understanding the pandemic’s impact on working women. Retrieved from
https://www.deloitte.com/content/dam/assets-shared/legacy/docs/about/2022/gx-about-deloitte-
understanding-the-pandemic-s-impact-on-working-women.pdf
Donohue, S., & Heywood, J. (2004). Job satisfaction, comparison income and gender: An expanded
specification from the NLSY. International Journal of Manpower, 25(2), 211–234. https://doi.org/10.1108/01437720410536007
Dutton, J.E., & Heaphy, E.D. (2003). The power of high-quality connections. In K. Cameron, & J. Dutton
(Eds.), Positive organizational scholarship: Foundations of a New Discipline (pp. 263–278). Berrett-Koehler Publishers.
Ehrenberg, R.G. (2003). Studying ourselves: The academic labor market. Journal of Labor Economics,
21(2), 267–287. https://doi.org/10.1086/345558
Fields, D.L. & Blum, T.C. (1997). Employee satisfaction in work groups with different gender
composition. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 18(2), 181–196. https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1099-1379(199703)18:2<181::AID-JOB799>3.0.CO;2-M
Flood, E. (2022). 3 ways CFOs can avoid ‘quiet quitting’ costs. CFO Dive. Retrieved from
https://www.cfodive.com/news/3-ways-cfos-can-avoid-quiet-quitting-costs/633529/
Gregory, A. (1990). Are women different and why are women thought to be different? Theoretical and
methodological perspectives. Journal of Business Ethics, 9, 257–266. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00380325
Grönlund, A., & Öun, I. (2018). The gender-job satisfaction paradox and the dual-earner society: Are
women (still) making work-family trade-offs? Work, 59(4), 535–545. https://doi.org/10.3233/WOR-182708
Gutek, B.A. (1993). Changing the status of women in management. Applied Psychology: AnInternational
Review, 42(4), 301–311. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.14640597.1993.tb00746.x
Hakim, C. (2000). Work-lifestyle choices in the 21st century: Preference theory. Oxford University Press.
Harter, J. (2022). Is quiet quitting real? Gallup. Retrieved from https://www.gallup.com/workplace/398306/quiet-quitting-real.aspx
Hauret, L., & Williams, D.R. (2017). Cross-national analysis of gender differences in job satisfaction.
Industrial Relations, 56(2), 203–235. https://doi.org/10.1111/irel.12171
Henderson, T. (2022). The US has reversed pandemic job losses. Most individual states haven’t. Pew.
Retrieved from https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-
analysis/blogs/stateline/2022/09/21/the-us-has-reversed-pandemic-job-losses-most-individual-
states havent#:~:text=The%20Northeast%20lost%20almost%20450%2C000,U.S.%20Census%20Burea
u%20estimates%20show
Hull, K. (1999). The paradox of the contented female lawyer. Law and Society Review, 33(3), 687–702.
https://doi.org/10.2307/3115108
International Social Survey Program. (2015). Work orientations IV. Liebniz Association. Retrieved from
https://www.gesis.org/issp/modules/issp-modules-by-topic/work-orientations/2015/
Kaiser, L. (2005). Gender-job satisfaction differences across Europe: An indicator for labor market
modernization. IZA DP No. 1876. Institute for the Study of Labor. Retrieved from
https://docs.iza.org/dp1876.pdf
Konrad, A., Corrigall, E., Lieb, P., & Ritchie, J. (2000). Sex differences in job attribute preferences
among managers and business students. Group and Organization Management, 25(2), 108–131.
https://doi.org/10.1177/1059601100252002
Kristensen, N., & Johansson, E. (2008). New evidence on cross-country differences in job satisfaction
using anchoring vignettes. Labour Economics, 15(1), 96–117.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.labeco.2006.11.001
Locke, E.A. (1976). The nature and causes of job-satisfaction. In Handbook of Industrial &
Organizational Psychology (Marvin Dunnette, pp. 1297–1350). Rand McNally.
Loscocco, K., & Bose, C. (1998). Gender and job satisfaction in urban China: The early post-Mao period.
Social Science Quarterly, 79(1), 91–109. https://doi.org/10.1093/oep/gpi015
Mallick, M. (2021). 5 ways to bring women back into the post-pandemic workforce. Harvard Business
Review. Retrieved fromhttps://hbr.org/2021/02/5-ways-to-bring-women-back-into-the-post-
pandemic-workforce
McDuff, E. (2001). The gender paradox in work satisfaction and the protestant clergy. Sociology of
Religion, 62(1), 1–21. https://doi.org/10.2307/3712228
Metle, M. (2001). Education, job satisfaction and gender in Kuwait. International Journal of Human
Resource Management, 12(2), 311–332. https://doi.org/10.1080/09585190122366
Mulinge, M., & Mueller, C. (1998). Employee job satisfaction in developing countries: The case of
Kenya. World Development, 26(12), 2181–2199. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0305-750X(98)00089-8
O’Sullivan, I. (2022). What is ‘quiet quitting’ and why are half of us doing it? TechCo. https://tech.co/news/quiet-quitting-half
Padavic, I., Ely, R.J., & Reid, E.M. (2020). Explaining the persistence of gender inequality: The work–
family narrative as a social defense against the 24/7 work culture. Administrative Science
Quarterly, 65(1), 61–111. https://doi.org/10.1177/0001839219832310
Partridge, J. (2021, November 20). Flexible working: ‘A system set up for women to fail.’ The Guardian.
Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/nov/20/flexible-working-a-system-set-
up-for-women-to-fail
Perugini, C., & Vladisavljević, M. (2019). Gender inequality and the gender-job satisfaction paradox In
Europe. Labour Economics, 60, 129–147. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.labeco.2019.06.006
Power, K. (2020). The COVID pandemic has increased the care burden of women and families.
Sustainability: Science, Practice and Policy, 16(1), 67–73. https://doi.org/10.1080/15487733.2020.1776561
Rogers, B. (2020, August 26). Not in the same boat: Career progression in the pandemic. Qualtrics XM.
Retrieved from https://www.qualtrics.com/blog/inequitable-effects-of-pandemic-on-careers/
Salari, N., Hosseinian-Far, A., Jalali, R., Vaisi-Raygani, A., Rasoulpoor, S., Mohammadi, M.,
Khaledi-Paveh, B. (2020). Prevalence of stress, anxiety, depression among the general population
during the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Globalization and
Health, 16(1), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12992-020-00589-w
Sareen, J., Erickson, J., Medved, M.I., Asmundson, G.J.G., Enns, M.W., Stein, M., . . . Logsetty, S.
(2013). Risk factors for post‐injury mental health problems. Depression and Anxiety, 30(4), 321–
Sloane, P.J., & Williams, H. (2000). Job satisfaction, comparison earnings and gender. Labour, 14(3),
473–502. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9914.00142
Thompson, R.J. (2022). Changing realities for women and work: The impact of COVID 19 and prospects
for the post-pandemic workplace. Merits, 2(3), 164–169. https://doi.org/10.3390/merits2030012
Westover, J.H. (2009). A cross-national look at the changing nature of gender differences in perceived job
satisfaction. International Journal of Global Business and Economics, 2(1), 62–67.
https://doi.org/10.1108/20412561211260557
Zou, M. (2015). Gender, work orientations and job satisfaction. Work, Employment and Society, 29(1), 3–
