Perceived job quality in the United States, Great Britain, Norway and West Germany, 1989-2005

Abstract

This article examines cross-national differences and trends in perceived job quality, defined in terms of five dimensions — extrinsic rewards, intrinsic rewards, work intensity, working conditions and interpersonal relationships — as well as overall job satisfaction. We analyse country differences in 1989, 1997 and 2005, using data for four countries from the International Social Survey Programme. Job security, the ability to work independently and the quality of working conditions and interpersonal relationships tend to be greater in Norway and West Germany than in the USA and Great Britain; American workers tend to be most satisfied with advancement opportunities, intrinsic rewards and overall job quality. We find convergence in job in security and work intensity over time, which may reflect increased market pressures that encourage a ‘lean and mean’ management strategy.