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Gender Differences in Subjective Well-Being In and Out of Management Positions

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Abstract

This study used data from the German Socio-economic Panel to examine gender differences in the extent to which self-reported subjective well-being was associated with occupying a high-level managerial position in the labour market, compared with employment in non-leadership, non-high-level managerial positions, unemployment, and non-labour market participation. Our results indicated that a clear hierarchy exists for men in term of how status within the labour market was associated with subjective life satisfaction. Unemployed men were the least satisfied, followed by men who were not in the labour market, while men in leadership positions reported the highest level of subjective life satisfaction. For women, no statistically significant differences were observed among women in high-level managerial positions, women who worked in non-high-level positions, and women who specialized in household production, with no market work. Only women who were unemployed reported lower levels of life satisfaction, compared with women in other labour-market statuses. Our results lend evidence to the contention that men can “have it all”, but women must still choose between career and family in Germany. We argue that interventions need to address how the non-pecuniary rewards associated with high-level managerial and leadership positions can be increased for women. Such policies would also likely serve to mitigate the “pipeline” problem concerning the number of women who are available to move into high positions in the private sector.

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Notes

  1. Leaders amongst blue-collar workers (master craftsmen and foremen) were not included in the analysis. An independent analysis of this group is not possible, particularly amongst women, due to the low number of cases.

  2. Classification took place on the basis of the question "Does the organisation for which you work form part of the civil service?" "Yes" or "No".

  3. The question in the SOEP is: "Now a completely different subject: our every-day actions are influenced by our basic belief. There is very limited scientific knowledge available on this topic. Below are different qualities that a person can have. You will probably find that some apply to you perfectly and that some do not apply to you at all. With others, you may be somewhere in between. Please answer according to the following scale: “I see myself as someone who…" The respondents were given 15 adjectives or statements to evaluate on a scale of 1: Does not apply to me at all to up to 7: Applies to me perfectly.

  4. We used standard factor analyses techniques with varimax rotation, standard eigenvalue criteria, total variability explained and visual examination of the screen plots (Craig Mertler and Rachel Vannatta 2005).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA

    Eileen Trzcinski

  2. German Institute for Economic Research, Berlin, Germany

    Elke Holst

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  1. Eileen Trzcinski
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  2. Elke Holst
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Correspondence to Eileen Trzcinski.

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Trzcinski, E., Holst, E. Gender Differences in Subjective Well-Being In and Out of Management Positions. Soc Indic Res 107, 449–463 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-011-9857-y

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