Home-based work, time endowments, and subjective well-being: Gender differences in the United Kingdom

Gimenez-Nadal, Jose Ignacio and Velilla, Jorge (2020): Home-based work, time endowments, and subjective well-being: Gender differences in the United Kingdom.

Abstract

The confinement caused by Covid-19, and the associated promotion of telework to reduce exposure of workers to the disease, have clear implications for worker daily behaviors and well-being. This paper empirically explores the differences between commuters’ and teleworkers’ time allocations during their workdays, and the instant enjoyment experienced while doing such activities, with a focus on gender differences. Using detailed information from the UK Time Use Survey for the years 2014-2015, the results show a statistically significant cut in female and male paid work time associated with teleworking. On the other hand, teleworkers spend more time than commuters in unpaid work and leisure activities. The results also reveal a cut in women’s experienced enjoyment while doing telework, while male teleworkers enjoy their leisure more than do commuters. These results suggest that confinement policies promoting teleworking may impact not only worker time allocations, but also individual well-being, and such an impact may differ between men and women, leading to intrahousehold imbalances.

• Item Type: MPRA Paper
• Language: English
• Keywords: Gender difference; telework; time use; subjective well-being; UKTUS
• Subjects: D - Microeconomics > D1 - Household Behavior and Family Economics

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