When Organisation Matters More Than Pay

According to data from the 'Reponse' survey (Industrial relations and workplace negotiations), conducted in France 2011 among more than 11,000 employees and 4,000 organisations, workers in the social and solidarity economy (SSE) are, on average, 4.2 points more satisfied with their jobs than their counterparts in conventional firms.

In other words, money isn’t everything. The search for meaning at work has become a defining issue over the past two decades. As early as 2013, American anthropologist David Graeber popularized the now-famous term “bullshit jobs”1 — to describe meaningless, purposeless roles that leave workers feeling alienated.

But not all French workers are trapped in such “bullshit jobs.” A 2022 Opinion Way survey for Anact found that 84% of French employees believe their work is meaningful, though 32% still aspire to management practices more aligned with their personal values.

As quality of life at work rises to the top of the societal agenda, understanding what drives job satisfaction – beyond pay – has become both an ethical and strategic priority. Organisations, social or otherwise, can learn valuable lessons here to attract and retain talent.

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Dialogues économiques is a digital journal published by the Aix-Marseille School of Economics (AMU, CNRS, EHESS, Centrale Méditerranée). A gateway between academic research and society, Dialogues économiques provides all citizens with the keys to economic reasoning. Articles are published every two weeks.

Happiness at Work is an Organisational Matter

Economists Xavier Joutard, Francesca Petrella, and Nadine Richez-Battesti have delved into this paradox: how can workers in the SSE be happier despite lower pay and greater job insecurity? Drawing on data from over 11,000 French employees, their analysis shows that this satisfaction gap is not rooted in abstract values but in concrete organisational practices – greater autonomy, better access to information, and higher recognition. In short, happiness at work seems to depend less on ideology than on organisation.