Employment patterns and family satisfaction in Europe: Do welfare and labour market policies intervene?
International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy
ISSN: 0144-333X
Article publication date: 11 June 2018
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between labour market integration and family satisfaction in a cross-country comparison perspective and takes important intervening factors into consideration such as the social policy and flexibility strategy as well as the cultural context of 27 European countries.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors rely on data from the European Quality of Life Survey 2012 and conduct multi-level analyses using both the one-step random intercept Model with cross-level interactions as well as a two-step hierarchical model. The country-specific framework is addressed with indicators for the level of social security, for external flexibility labour market characteristics, and for the predominant family solidarity norm of a country.
Findings
The paper provides empirical support for the thesis of social disruption according to insecure labour market attachment. This link is weakened in countries where flexible labour market conditions are accompanied by strong efforts on state-provided social security. High family support norms can only partially compensate a lack of social protection covered by the state.
Research limitations/implications
The paper reveals the increasing social vulnerability of people who are not or not completely integrated into the labour market. These risks cannot be convincingly weakened by social security measures. To know more about these mechanisms, the link between labour market integration and the quality of family life should be studied in more detail in a cross-country comparative perspective to develop ideas and give advice on reducing the potential insecurity of flexible employment.
Originality/value
The paper complements previous research by providing empirical findings about the link between insecure labour market attachment and the integration into family networks in a cross-country comparison perspective.
Keywords
Citation
Böhnke, P. and Cifuentes, I.V. (2018), "Employment patterns and family satisfaction in Europe: Do welfare and labour market policies intervene?", International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy, Vol. 38 No. 5-6, pp. 394-410. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSSP-08-2017-0096
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited