Abstract
Studies looking at patterns of labour market outcomes among lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) individuals focus mostly on earnings, while non-pecuniary outcomes of LGB individuals have remained a relatively under-researched area. Using the latest wave of the Workplace Employment Relations Study (WERS), this article investigates the job satisfaction levels of LGB individuals compared to their heterosexual peers for the first time in Britain. The results show significantly lower job satisfaction levels only for bisexual men, compared to their heterosexual counterparts. Moreover, the findings do not show a direct impact of LGB(T)-related workplace policies on job satisfaction levels.
Highlights
Research concerning sexual orientation and inequalities has been growing for several decades in Britain
Gay men appeared to have higher job satisfaction levels than heterosexual men on average, while lesbians had lower job satisfaction levels compared to heterosexual women
Our results only partially support our expectations of lower job satisfaction levels for LGB individuals
Summary
Research concerning sexual orientation and inequalities has been growing for several decades in Britain. The outcomes relating to employment and the labour market are no exception, most research investigating these at the national level looks at economic aspects of working life, such as earning differentials and, to some extent, rank and authority in the workplace (Aksoy et al, 2018; Arabsheibani et al, 2005; Bryson, 2017; Wang et al, 2018). Work is an important aspect of people’s lives; one of the defining characteristics of daily life and subjectivity, beyond having a purely economic function. Job satisfaction has been identified as a significant aspect of the professional and private lives of individuals, as well as an important workplace policy area (Locke, 1976). It is associated with greater employee productivity and lower staff turnover (Wright and Bonett, 2007)
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