Jobs, Wellbeing, and Social Cohesion: Evidence from Value and Perception Surveys

This paper presents descriptive evidence that illustrates possible linkages between labour market outcomes and social cohesion

Abstract

This paper, a background report for the forthcoming WDR 2013 on Jobs, presents descriptive evidence that illustrates possible linkages between labor market outcomes and social cohesion. The first link we consider involves associations between work and wellbeing. We focus on self-reported job preferences and the effect of unemployment on life satisfaction, assuming that these measures provide an indication of how labor marker-related priorities vary across countries at different stages of development. Second, we explore correlations between individual employment status and job quality and other more widely studied indicators of social cohesion, including self-reported levels of trust, political activism and social associations. Throughout, our analysis focuses on outcomes in middle and low income countries, given the relative dearth of information on social cohesion and labor market outcomes in this part of the world. However, for comparison purposes our study also report results from a set of high income countries.

Citation

Wietzke, F.B.; McLeod, C. Jobs, Wellbeing, and Social Cohesion: Evidence from Value and Perception Surveys. The World Bank, Washington DC, USA (2013) 36 pp.

Jobs, Wellbeing, and Social Cohesion: Evidence from Value and Perception Surveys

Published 1 January 2013