Employees’ Satisfaction with the Balance Between Work and Leisure in Finland, Sweden, Norway and Denmark - Time Use Perspective

Abstract

This study aims at investigating the level of satisfaction with the allocation of time between work and leisure, and possible explaining factors, among the employed in Finland, Sweden, Norway and Denmark. Using the European Social Survey (ESS) Round 3 data from 2006, it is possible to make competent quantitative comparisons between the Nordic countries (excluding Island which did not participate in the ESS data collection). Multilevel modelling (GLM) was used for data analyses. Only those respondents to the ESS survey who were currently employed were included in the analysis. The results show that the Danish employees are the most satisfied and the Swedish employees the least satisfied with the division of time between work and other aspects of life. In all the four countries, work-related rather than family-related or other leisure-oriented factors predicted the level of satisfaction. Socio-economic and family-related factors predicted satisfaction at the country level, but did not account for common explanatory factors. However, it may be that those who are potentially the most dissatisfied due to difficulties in combining work and family are not at work at all, and thus not involved in the study. The observed differences between the countries are discussed in the present article. To conclude from the results of this study, poor work content reduces temporal commitment to work, and accordingly, time use as a central element of individual well-being should not be ignored.