How a lot do non -material circumstances matter? The employees would surrender a fifth of the wage in order to not be harassed | Economy | EUROtoday
The collective agreements, the results of the settlement between the representatives of the employees and the employers, regulate the fabric circumstances of the staff: how a lot it’s charged, how additional hours are paid, the times of permission … It is what the researchers of the Iseak Studies Center name as “instrumental attributes”. The basis directed by the Professor in Economics of the University of the Basque Country Sara de la Rica, a specialist in labor market and inequality, has simply printed a examine that tries to confirm how necessary the opposite dimension of labor is for employees, which they name “intrinsic attributes”, because the voice in selections, the sense of objective and delight within the place.
The report, based mostly on greater than 5,000 surveys, concludes that the latter are crucial, generally greater than the primary, to the purpose that workers would surrender 31% of their wage in change for receiving honest therapy or 21% to not work harassed. This is influenced by the truth that 56% say they’re below fixed strain and solely 38% see prospects of being rushed.
“The results reveal that the intrinsic attributes of work are more important than instrumental aspects, such as job stability and salaries. Elements such as the sense of purpose and labor relations are associated with a better work performance, measured through higher levels of satisfaction, effort and less absenteeism,” synthesizes the abstract of the examine that David Martinez de Lafuente and Ainhoa Osés signal.

Researchers make an radiography of which intrinsic attributes prevail in labor relations in Spain. “Although most working people values the support of their classmates and enjoys their work, many face important challenges such as the lack of teleworking, limited opportunities for promotion and constant pressure in the work rhythm,” says the examine, which additionally analyzes the panorama within the Basque Country.
This is specified within the following information: solely 38% see prospects of ascending; 56% say they work below fixed strain; 47% contemplate that their work is not going to be rewarded in the event that they do a great job; 66% are overwhelmed for his or her place and 30% face repetitive duties that restrict their growth and creativity. At the identical time, “60% of employees consider their interesting work, 75% enjoy what they do, and 82% feel that their job allows a sense of job well done.”
These attributes, in addition to supplies, range relying on gender: “men report better instrumental and intrinsic working conditions compared to women.” They additionally “work more frequently in organizations with social objectives and feel less competent in their jobs.” The survey additionally finds worse working circumstances in foreigners and within the youngest. Those workers of 18 to 30 years, though they’ve jobs with much less remuneration and stability and extra intense work rhythms, “enjoy greater opportunities for personal growth and stand out in the sense of purpose, enjoy, and quality of labor relations.”
Differences by sectors
The examine additionally experiences very totally different balances relying on the sector. Information and communications, monetary and actual property and scientific actions “stand out for combining high salaries, stability and autonomy with a good balance between working and personal life, although they lack a clear social mission.” At the identical time, industrial and manufacturing sectors supply excessive wages and stability, “but face intrinsic deficiencies such as lack of purpose and high health risks.”
And then there are different actions, reminiscent of schooling and social companies, which give “a strong intrinsic satisfaction, with a high sense of purpose, but they suffer from low material conditions, such as low wages and little stability.” Other sectors have neither one nor the opposite, reminiscent of agriculture, hospitality and family actions, “reflecting a marked precariousness in terms of economic and personal well -being.”
What would they provide as much as enhance?
Iseak analysts have tried to quantify to what extent the inhabitants values the totally different attributes of labor. For this they’ve developed discrete selection experiments, during which respondents had to decide on between two job gives that change in wage and different particular attributes. “From the decisions of the surveyed people, the percentage of salary that would be willing to sacrifice in exchange for obtaining each of these attributes is calculated,” clarify the researchers.
With this methodology, they conclude that the honest therapy is essentially the most valued attribute, since working folks would sacrifice 31% of their wage for receiving it. They additionally understand a generalized rejection of working below strain or with excessive bodily demand, with a wage sacrifice of 21% for a relaxed rhythm and 17% to keep away from painful duties.

“The willingness to sacrifice salary in exchange for having a trip to the 20 -minute job (compared to 40 minutes) is around 13%,” the researchers add. By having teleworking they might surrender 10% of their wage. They would additionally see 11% of their payroll disappear in change for working in a collaborative atmosphere or in an organization with a social objective. They additionally warn a disposition to a wage sacrifice of 9% in change for accessing better tasks and 10% to keep away from repetitive duties.
In this facet there are additionally related gaps: ladies are keen to sacrifice a better proportion of wage for non -monetary attributes than males. “By educational level,” provides the Iseak examine, “who have higher studies show greater willingness to pay for teleworking, the least physical effort and collaborative labor environments. However, they are less likely to sacrifice salary for a relaxed work rate or fair treatment, compared to people with lower educational level.”
By age, the examine reveals that younger folks prioritize labor development and autonomy in duties, whereas these of medium age worth extra time flexibility, proximity to the job, teleworking and collaborative environments. Those over 50 stand out for his or her biggest evaluation of the social contribution of firms and their sensitivity in the direction of honest therapy. “These trends reflect differences in priorities and needs throughout the different stages of working life,” the researchers point out.
Influence on absenteeism
The examine emphasizes that “both the instrumental and intrinsic dimensions of employment significantly influence the work behavior of people”, a conclusion based mostly on scientific literature. They point out that wage or discount in occupational hazards are related on this regard, however that the standard of relationships, enjoyment at work and, particularly, the sense of objective “have a significantly greater impact.”
This connects with the absences to work, in response to researchers: “With regard to absenteeism, basic factors such as salary or job stability do not seem to be decisive. However, instrumental conditions, such as a healthy work environment and an adequate work rate, are associated with a statistically significant reduction in the days of labor absence.” They additionally consult with quiet quitting (Employees who restrict their efficiency to the minimal vital), for which they don’t discover a clear relationship with the wage or sort of contract, however with the intrinsic: “The results suggest that the work effort increases when the work is more enjoyable. Curiously, a greater social connection and a less intense work rate are related to a lower job effort.”
More deal with the intrinsic
“These results underline the importance of improving the quality of employment, not only through tangible factors such as salary and stability, but also through intangible attributes, such as the sense of purpose, autonomy and a balanced work pace, to increase the commitment and performance of the people employed,” signifies the authors of the examine. They emphasize that the fabric points “are relevant”, however that on the similar time “certain intrinsic elements play a decisive role in reducing work resistance behaviors.”
In his opinion, “this indicates that the debate on employment quality often focuses too much on salaries, leaving aside less visible dimensions that deeply influence satisfaction and productivity.”
“For those responsible for public policies and companies, these findings suggest that promoting jobs that promote intrinsic values, such as a clear sense of purpose, can be an effective strategy to improve the well -being of workers, increase productivity and reduce the costs associated with job dissatisfaction,” concludes the specialists of Iseak.
https://elpais.com/economia/2025-04-30/cuanto-importan-las-condiciones-no-materiales-los-trabajadores-renunciarian-a-una-quinta-parte-del-salario-para-no-estar-estresados.html