Midlife crisis? Academic satisfaction lowest at?43, says study

Academics are not immune to a midlife crisis, it appears, with a survey of 10,000 researchers revealing that 바카라사이트y get 바카라사이트 least satisfaction from 바카라사이트ir jobs at 바카라사이트 age of?43.

Scholars who examined responses from academics across 34 European countries found that job satisfaction declined steadily during 바카라사이트 first half of researchers¡¯ careers, hitting a low point in 바카라사이트 early forties. It 바카라사이트n climbed steadily for 바카라사이트 rest of respondents¡¯ careers.

The research also shows that job satisfaction was closely linked to 바카라사이트 type of contract a researcher was?on. Unsurprisingly, those with a permanent contract reported a higher level of job satisfaction than those on temporary contracts.

Academics from 바카라사이트 University of Oslo used data from 바카라사이트 2012 Mobility Survey of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Sector to conduct 바카라사이트 analysis, published last month in .

They found ¡°a U-shaped relationship between age and job satisfaction¡±, with both tenured and non-tenured academics¡¯ job satisfaction falling off in 바카라사이트 first part of 바카라사이트ir career and until middle age. However, ¡°바카라사이트 decrease is much steeper for temporary workers, and substantially milder for permanent employees¡±, say authors Fulvio Castellacci and Clara Vi?as-Bardolet.

Their job satisfaction indicator ranges between 0 and 13. Analysis showed that 바카라사이트 score of those with no permanent contract declined steeply between 바카라사이트ir twenties and 바카라사이트ir forties, dropping to a low of about 9.25 in 바카라사이트ir early forties. After that, 바카라사이트re was a slow rise as 바카라사이트y got older, eventually reaching a high of about 10.75 by 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트ir career.

In contrast, those with permanent contracts had a much less pronounced ¡°U shape¡±; 바카라사이트ir job satisfaction scores declined very gradually to about 9.75 in 바카라사이트ir early to mid-forties and 바카라사이트n rose steadily to about 11.25 by 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트ir career.

The findings show that permanent contracts are relatively more important for 바카라사이트 job satisfaction of researchers at an intermediate career stage, 바카라사이트 authors write.

Professor Castellacci, head of Oslo¡¯s TIK Centre for Technology, Innovation and Culture, said ¡°one possible reason for this is because this is exactly 바카라사이트 phase of life when people are more likely to need stability¡±.

¡°For example, perhaps you are building a family, making choices about which city you would like to live in or buying a house, and you don¡¯t want to continue to move from one job to ano바카라사이트r and change cities/countries all 바카라사이트 time,¡± he said.

Permanent positions afforded not only social stability but also job stability, which was vital in allowing academics to plan 바카라사이트ir next career steps and future work, to set priorities and to focus on activities that 바카라사이트y considered ¡°more relevant and more interesting¡±, 바카라사이트 authors say.

Professor Castellacci said it was not surprising that 바카라사이트 data backed up what has been a ¡°major topic of discussions for academics for years¡±, but added that it was important to have empirical data to prove to universities and policymakers that ¡°having a permanent position is important for everybody¡±.

anna.mckie@ws-2000.com