Work value orientations and worker well-being in the new economy: Implications of the job demands-resources model among internet freelancers

International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy. 2018. Vol. 38. No. 9/10. P. 736–753.

Shevchuk A., Strebkov D., Davis S.

Using unique data on freelancers participating in an online labor market (N = 9,984), we integrate work values research with the Job Demands-Resources model to assess the role that work value orientations play in self-employed workers’ subjective well-being. We find that intrinsic work values are associated with greater subjective well-being whereas extrinsic work values are associated with lower subjective well-being. Consistent with the buffer hypothesis, intrinsic work value orientation reduces the negative effect of working hours on worker well-being, and extrinsic orientation enhances the negative effect. Our paper calls into question the importance of working conditions relative to worker values when assessing the role that job demands and resources play in the new economy. As work becomes more demanding and employment relations more flexible, personal resources such as work value orientations may become increasingly important for worker well-being.

Keywords: фрилансеры, субъективное благополучие, личностные ресурсы, самозанятость, трудовые ценности, самозанятые, freelancers, work values, subjective well-being, personal resources, электронные фрилансеры, self-employed, job demands–resources model

Publication based on the results of: The Russian Economy after the Crisis: Revising the Social Grounds of Market Exchange (2018)