Bullshit job experiences at work and subjective well-being: The moderating role of protestant work ethic
Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: The aim of this paper is to (a) explore the relation between perceptions of negative experiences at work (bullshit job perception) and subjective well-being, and (b) examine protestant work ethic (the conviction that only hard, painful work is good work) as a moderating factor concerning the relation between bullshit job perception and subjective well-being. Three cross-sectional studies (total N = 1400) were conducted with samples of US employees. Moderation analyses revealed that the relationship between perceiving one's job as bullshit and subjective well-being was qualified by protestant work ethic. Bullshit job perception was negatively related to subjective well-being but only for individuals low in protestant work ethic. Interestingly, bullshit job perception and subjective well-being were not or even positively associated for individuals scoring high in protestant work ethic. Thus, perceiving negative aspects at work can be associated with high levels of subjective well-being among persons strongly endorsing the protestant work ethic, which emphasizes the importance of hard work. In contrast, individuals low in protestant work ethic tend to report lower subjective well-being when faced with adverse work experiences. Our findings underscore the significance of examining the interplay between work-related attitudes and workplace experiences with respect to employees' subjective well-being.
Institution: Universität Ulm
Language: English
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $4,170
OpenAlex ID: W4413355030