Same class, different work conditions: Autonomy and authority in the workplace across nations

Abstract:

According to a long-standing literature, workplace conditions and inequalities are rooted in occupational class relationships. However, little is known about how key elements of work conditions – autonomy and authority in the workplace – are distributed between occupational class in different contexts. Utilizing data for over 200,000 employees across 26 European nations, this study shows that there are large differences across countries in both the absolute levels of autonomy-authority afforded to workers but also the degree of class inequality. Even if employees belong to the same occupational class and are similar along demographic, human capital, job-related, and firm characteristics, they are granted varying levels of absolute and relative autonomy and authority depending on the country-context they work in. This means that the experience of belonging to a certain occupational class differs across contexts, and this variation is particularly strong when it comes to working-class employees.