Can You Identify Too Much with Your Job? Exploring Spill-Over Effects of Occupational Identity on Different Life Domain Satisfactions and Satisfaction with Life Overall

Abstract A strong identification with one’s job has been shown to be conducive to job satisfaction. We assess the extent to which occupational identity can also spill over to satisfaction with non-work domains as well as satisfaction with life overall. Using a data set of (mostly male) German crafters, we explore whether a strong occupational identity may result in lower satisfaction with life domains outside of work (leisure, social life, relationship). We find that for our data set, apart from a direct positive impact of occupational identity on jBinder,ob satisfaction and satisfaction with work hours, there is no strong evidence for spill-overs on satisfaction with leisure time, social life and one’s relationship. Equivalence tests allow us to conclude that if there are spill-over effects on satisfaction with leisure time and one’s relationship, they must be smaller than half the size than the direct effect of occupational identity on job satisfaction. If anything, low occupational identity leads to lower satisfaction in non-work domains. Occupational identity is also positively related to satisfaction with life overall, an effect that is not direct but is mediated via job satisfaction.