From Office to Home: Drivers of Gender Job Satisfaction During COVID-19

Abstract

Research on job satisfaction and gender has yielded mixed results, underscoring the need to understand how men and women may experience job satisfaction differently. This study builds on extant literature by examining how extrinsic rewards, intrinsic rewards, work relations, work-life balance, and work design contribute to job satisfaction among men and women. Moreover, the study examines these relationships in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Using measurement items from the International Social Survey Programme Work Orientation Module, the study examined data from 766 employees in the United States who were employed throughout the pandemic. Findings revealed that women and men reported similar levels of job satisfaction, although the drivers of job satisfaction differed across genders. The findings and implications of the study can assist managers in maximizing job satisfaction among employees.