Working 9 to 5: The Global Impact of Jobs on Subjective Well-Being

Abstract Occupations that are considered traditionally white-collar (e.g., office jobs) versus occupations that are considered more blue-collar (e.g., manufacturing) have been shown to differ in respect to worker outcomes, with workers in white-collar occupations reporting better health outcomes than workers in blue-collar occupations. This study examines the relationship between job types and subjective well-being (SWB) among workers across 137 countries, utilizing data from five waves of the Gallup World Poll. It compares SWB between traditionally blue-collar (e.g., service workers, construction, manufacturing) and white-collar (e.g., managers, office workers, professionals) occupations and explores variations within these groups. The findings reveal that workers in white-collar occupations report higher current and future SWB than workers in blue-collar occupations, with notable variations across specific job types. Workers in more blue-collar occupations with high physical job demands, such as farm and construction workers, report the lowest SWB, while managers and office workers report the highest. Additionally, the study highlights regional and economic differences, with workers in low-income countries generally reporting lower SWB compared to those in high-income countries. The results also show that even when considering relevant covariates, job type remains significantly associated with well-being. Targeted interventions for workers in blue-collar occupations, especially in lower-income countries, may be beneficial.