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Work conditions and financial difficulties in post-crisis Europe: Utility versus quality of working life

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2023

Helena Lopes ,
Sérgio Lagoa  and
Ana C Santos
Helena Lopes
Affiliation:
University Institute of Lisbon (ISCTE-IUL), DINÂMIA’CET-IUL, Portugal
Sérgio Lagoa
Affiliation:
University Institute of Lisbon (ISCTE-IUL), DINÂMIA’CET-IUL, Portugal
Ana C Santos*
Affiliation:
University of Coimbra, Portugal
*
Ana C Santos, Centre for Social Studies (CES), University of Coimbra, Colégio São Jerónimo, Apartado 3087, 3000-995 Coimbra, Portugal. Email: [email protected]
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Abstract

This article critically examines the relation between work and utility and challenges the mainstream economic view of well-being as a hedonic state for which work is a less pleasurable trade-off. It proposes a conception of work as a potential source of eudaimonic well-being, providing meaning and contributing to human flourishing and self-realisation. Based on micro-level data, the article shows the relevance of distinguishing between hedonic and eudaimonic well-being by way of comparing the effects of increased financial difficulties and deteriorated work conditions on these two types of well-being in five European Union countries – Germany, Poland, Portugal, Sweden and the UK – in the post global financial crisis years between 2009 and 2014. The article concludes by underlining the political importance of addressing aspects pertaining to the quality of working life and of creating jobs that serve to improve the eudaimonic well-being of citizens.

Keywords

I31J28J81EudaimoniaGermanyglobal financial crisismeaningful workPolandPortugalquality of working lifeSwedenUnited Kingdomwork
Type
Post-crisis rebuilding: national perspectives
Information
The Economic and Labour Relations Review , Volume 30 , Issue 1: Symposia: Post-Crisis Rebuilding: Job Quality, Job Security and the Law , March 2019 , pp. 39 - 58
Copyright
© The Author(s) 2019

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