Job Satisfaction in Post-Arab Spring Egypt and Tunisia: Between Hope and Hardship

This study examines job satisfaction in Egypt and Tunisia following the 2011 Arab Spring, with a focus on how labor market conditions and workplace characteristics shaped worker well-being during this critical period of political and economic transition. Using nationally representative labor market panel surveys from both countries, the analysis applies ordered probit models to explore the determinants of both overall and domain-specific job satisfaction. The findings highlight that access to employment benefits—such as social and medical insurance, paid sick leave, formal contracts, union membership, and supervisory roles—are consistently linked to higher satisfaction levels. In contrast, workers in large establishments, temporary contracts, private-sector jobs, or night shifts tend to report lower satisfaction. The analysis also uncovers important cross-country differences. While higher education is positively associated with job satisfaction in Tunisia, this relationship is not evident in Egypt, suggesting different returns to education in each context. Moreover, gender and residential location are found to influence job satisfaction, pointing to deeper structural inequalities in labor market experiences. To ensure the robustness of these findings, two additional checks were conducted. First, a subsample analysis focused on youth revealed lower levels of job satisfaction among younger workers, particularly in relation to wages and job stability. This suggests that labor market insecurity is especially acute for new entrants to the workforce. Second, interaction models between gender and key job characteristics revealed that women’s job satisfaction is more sensitive to working conditions, contract security, and sector of employment. These extensions confirm that job satisfaction outcomes are not only shaped by individual and workplace factors but also differ meaningfully by age and gender. By leveraging data from the immediate post-Arab Spring period, this study provides a valuable benchmark for understanding the long-term consequences of political upheaval on labor market experiences. The results offer actionable insights for policymakers addressing persistent challenges such as informality, job insecurity, and youth disillusionment in transitional economies. JEL classification: J28, J30, J41, J81