Do rising levels of qualification alter work ethic, work orientation and organizational commitment for the worse? evidence from the UK, 1985-2001

Abstract

Implications of rising levels of qualification for work attitudes—a hitherto neglected area in the debate on over‐education—are examined. Theories of post‐industrialism predicted that the spiralling educational requirements of an information‐based economy would undercut the Work Ethic and intensify employee demands for work roles built around expressive and self‐actualizing opportunities. Higher qualifications might also undermine job satisfaction and allegiance to employing organizations. Large British employee data sets for the past 20 years suggest that higher qualification is associated with higher commitment to paid work, is less clearly associated with an expressive work orientation than forecast and does not by itself reduce attachment to an employing organization. Post‐industrial theory thus proves a poor guide to the qualifications–work attitudes link. The data also points to the reinforcement over time of the Work Ethic and consolidation of instrumental work values among the higher qualified. For employers, the implications are none the less somewhat mixed: in particular, ostensible over‐qualification reduces scores for job satisfaction and organizational loyalty.