Eva Živčicová

Job satisfaction covers all factors affecting a particular work activity. Gender is one of the internal job satisfaction factors. The purpose of the paper was to find job satisfaction differences related to gender in selected characteristics of employees working in the engineering sector. A questionnaire method was used to conduct the survey. Questionnaire items were selected from the questionnaire developed by Paul E. Spector (1994) and the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ). The respondents were employed in a Slovak engineering company, and the sample consisted of 60 respondents with balanced basic and specific characteristics. Paper questionnaires were distributed to the respondents while observing all the ethical rules of the survey. The results are expressed in means, standard deviations and p-values. In addition, a two-sample t-test was used. It was found that job satisfaction is perceived differently by male and female workers in the areas examined. Statistically significant differences were established in the areas of remuneration, recognition, and use of one’s abilities at work. Statistically insignificant areas of job satisfaction include meaninglessness of work, experiencing happiness at work more than others, and satisfaction with the relationship with supervisors.

Acknowledgment
The paper was written under the project Multiplier Effects of Human Capital Quality on Economic Performance and Competitiveness of the Slovak Economy and supported by the Grant Agency VEGA of the Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sport of the Slovak Republic [No. 1/0357/21].

The European Quality of Life Survey (EQLS) is a tool that assesses quality of life across different aspects. Monitoring the quality-of-life indicators in times of crisis and post-crisis is crucial for human resource management as the quality-of-life indicators provide valuable insights into the well-being and needs of employees. The study aimed to examine the impact of social and economic changes on the selected quality of life areas of the EU population by analyzing data from the ESQL of 2016 and 2020. It was found that the average EU life satisfaction score went down. In 2020, the EU optimism average dropped when compared to 2016. According to 2020 survey data, EU citizens found coping with life’s challenges harder than in 2016. The EU average regarding the difficulty of dealing with essential issues in life increased by 1.5% in 2020 compared to 2016. The time needed to get back to normality after some mishaps was also investigated. The EU average regarding subjective feelings of tension rose by 7.4%. In comparison to 2016, depression and downheartedness grew stronger across the EU nations and the EU average in 2020. The average value increased by 6.8%. The changes may provide insights into the effects of social and economic trends on people’s well-being across Europe.

Acknowledgment
The paper is written under the project Multiplier effects of human capital quality on economic performance and competitiveness of the Slovak economy and supported by the Grant Agency VEGA of the Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sport of the Slovak Republic [No. 1/0357/21].