Occupational Social Value and Returns to Long Hours

UNCG Author/Contributor (non-UNCG co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
Dora Gicheva, Assistant Professor (Creator)
Institution
The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG )
Web Site: http://library.uncg.edu/

Abstract: This paper examines the phenomenon of uncompensated long hours in jobs with pro-social characteristics and presents evidence that long-hour wage premiums and occupational social value are substitutes in compensating salaried workers who supply hours exceeding the standard working week. I show that the social value of an occupation—in particular the degree to which jobs involve helping or providing service to others—is inversely related to long-hour pay. Allowing for heterogeneity in the degree to which workers value their job's helping orientation lets me explore how gender differences in employees’ attitudes toward pro-social behaviour can explain some of the observed occupational sorting trends and gender differences in long-hour compensation. Women tend to be more strongly drawn to ‘helping’ occupations and at the same time receive lower long-hour premiums in these jobs relative to men. I offer a theoretical framework to rationalize the empirical trends.

Additional Information

Publication
Economica, 87(347), 682-712
Language: English
Date: 2020
Keywords
long hour compensation, workplace, pro-social behavior

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