Is There a Happiness Premium for Working in the Public Sector? Evidence from Italy

Alessandro Bucciol and Giovanni Burro ()

No 05/2021, Working Papers from University of Verona, Department of Economics

Abstract: Is there a happiness premium for working in the public sector? We explore this question using a large sample of Italian employees from 2004 to 2016. We find that happiness increases with economic status. Public employees enjoy a happiness premium compared to private employees, but only if they are of low economic status. Depending on the definition of economic status, their happiness gain is able to compensate half or all the gap these individuals face with respect to private employees of medium economic status. Our findings add to the relatively scant empirical literature on psychological well-being and public employment.

Keywords: Happiness; Public employment; Economic status; Wellbeing (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D90 I31 Z13 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 35
Date: 2021-03
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-eur and nep-hap
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