Experiencing work as decent, meaningful, neither, or both: a latent profile analysis

ABSTRACT

In the current study we gathered data from a large group of employed adults (N = 710) to examine the degree to which participants experienced their work as unique combinations of decent and meaningful. We applied latent profile analysis (LPA) to construct specific profiles according to how strongly participants endorsed five components of decent work and meaningful work. Seven different profiles emerged from our analyses which were labeled as a) Only healthcare, b) Unfulfilling, c) Highly meaningless, d) Adequate safety and rest, e) Adequate, f) Fulfilling, and g) Absent healthcare. We examined group differences amongst the profiles in terms of hypothesized predictor (economic constraints, marginalization experiences) and outcome (work-family conflict, intentions to quit) variables. Mixed support was found for the hypotheses, and profiles where participants did or did not have healthcare access at work were particularly unique in comparison to other profiles.

KEYWORDS:

• Decent work
• meaningful work
• work family conflict
• withdrawal intentions
• latent profile analysis

Author’s contribution

Ryan D. Duffy, Department of Psychology University of Florida; Sophie Gerdel, Department of Philosophy, Sociology, Education and Applied Psychology, University of Padova; Haram J. Kim, Department of Psychology, University of Florida; Yeonwoo Choi, Department of Psychology, University of Florida.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by a Ph.D. fellowship funded by the CARIPARO Foundation, which was awarded to the second author. The funding source was not involved in the study design, in the collection, analysis and interpretation of the data, in the writing of the report, or in the decision to submit the article for publication. The authors declare no conflict of interest.