Gender differences in job satisfaction in Great Britain, 1991-2000: permanent or transitory?

Abstract

This article analyses job-satisfaction differences between men and women in Great Britain for the years 1991-2000 using data from the first 10 waves of the British Household Panel Survey (BHPS). The results show that women’s job satisfaction has declined substantially in the past decade, whereas men’s job satisfaction has remained fairly constant. The positive job-satisfaction differential in women’s favour has been halved in the past decade, implying that this paradoxical situation is most likely transitory. This result supports Clark’s expectations interpretation of the gender differences in job satisfaction.