Emotional Well-being Among Public Employees: A Comparative Perspective

• DOI: 10.1177/0734371X20939642
• Author: Lihi Lahat,Dganit Ofek
• Published date: 01 March 2022
• Date: 01 March 2022
• Subject Matter: Articles

https://doi.org/10.1177/0734371X20939642

Review of Public Personnel Administration

2022, Vol. 42(1) 31 –59

© The Author(s) 2020

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DOI: 10.1177/0734371X20939642

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Article

Emotional Well-being

Among Public Employees:

A Comparative Perspective

Lihi Lahat1,2 and Dganit Ofek1

Abstract

There is growing agreement on the importance of well-being in general and among

employees more specifically. One area that has attracted significantly less attention is

the well-being of public sector employees, especially from a comparative perspective.

This study explored the factors explaining emotional well-being among public sector

employees in seven countries. Using data from the European Social Survey, round

6, it examined the importance of the work environment, of belonging to the public

sector, and of belonging to the country and their effects on well-being. We found

public sector employees had a higher level of emotional well-being than non-public

sector employees. However, belonging to the public sector was less important than

other factors. The country context and soft features of the work environment were

important to public sector employees, but not just to them, and were reflected

differently in different countries.

Keywords

public employees, well-being, emotions, comparative, administrative culture

Introduction

Well-being has become an important term in how we evaluate our lives. (De Smedt,

2013; Diener & Seligman, 2004; Gowdy, 2005; Huppert & So, 2013; Kahneman &

Krueger, 2006). Concomitantly, there is a growing awareness of the significance of

well-being among employees and its effect on organizational outcomes (Brunetto

et al., 2018). More specifically, well-being is seen to be “a major determinant of

1Sapir College, Hof Ashkelon, Israel

2Concordia University, Montreal, Canada

Corresponding Author:

Lihi Lahat, Department of Administration & Public Policy, Sapir College, Hof Ashkelon, 79165, Israel.

Email: lahat_l@mail.sapir.ac.il

939642ROPXXX10.1177/0734371X20939642Review of Public Personnel AdministrationLahat and Ofek

research-article2020

32 Review of Public Personnel Administration 42(1)

productivity at the individual, enterprise, and societal levels” (Kuoppala et al., 2008,

cited in: Schulte & Vainio, 2010, p. 422).

While the importance of well-being at work is well understood, well-being among

public employees is less explored. Moreover, while some studies explore well-being

or similar behavioural and psychological traits among public sector employees in a

specific country (Borst et al., 2019; García-Juan et al., 2018; Green, 2004; Hsieh et al.,

2012; Johari et al., 2018; Noblet & Rodwell, 2008; Tummers et al., 2018; Vigoda-

Gadot & Meiri, 2008; Vigoda-Gadot & Meisler, 2010), to the best of our knowledge,

a comparative perspective is missing. Therefore, in our study, we embraced a com-

parative perspective and examined the well-being among public sector employees in

seven countries with diverse administrative cultures. We explored the differences

between countries and the effect of the belonging to the public sector, as well as more

specific features of the work environment and their effects on well-being. The use of a

comparative perspective permits a closer look at shared factors that improve public

sector employees’ well-being. More importantly, the differences between countries

become apparent, possibly leading to more effective human resource management

practices to fit a country’s unique features.

The research was based on quantitative methods, using data from the European

Social Survey, round 6, in 2012. This survey’s rigorous sampling method enabled a

comparative analysis. We used descriptive statistics, as well as ordinary least

squares (OLS) regression, to explore rival explanations of public sector employees’

well-being.

The findings revealed that public sector employees have a higher level of emotional

well-being than non-public sector employees in six out of seven countries. However,

those differences are not significant in all countries. Belonging to the public sector is

less important to well-being than other variables. The article makes three contributions

to the literature. First, it deals with the less explored subject of emotional well-being

among public sector employees. Second, it examines rival explanations of the achieve-

ment of well-being. Third, it offers a comparative look at public sector employees’

well-being across seven countries.

Literature Review

Why Are We So Interested in Well-being?

Well-being, as reflected in a person’s health, social relations, and enjoyment at work,

is perceived as an indication of satisfaction with life. With the economic develop-

ment of societies and the meeting of people’s basic material needs, well-being

becomes more important (De Smedt, 2013; Diener & Seligman, 2004). Seligman

(2002) defines well-being as “people’s positive evaluations of their lives, including

positive emotion, engagement, satisfaction, and meaning” (in Diener & Seligman,

2004, p. 1). It includes satisfaction with life, a positive mood, and the absence of

negative mood (Ryan & Deci, 2001, p. 144).