Exploring the relationships among commute, work and life satisfaction: A multiscale analysis in Beijing

Abstract

Commuting and working, as important parts of workers' daily life, significantly influence their subjective well-being. However, the complicated interplay among short-term commute or work activity satisfaction, medium-term domain satisfaction and long-term life satisfaction remains unclear. Utilizing the survey data on transportation and well-being of Beijing's residents in 2022, this study explores two assumptions. The first, based on bottom-up theory, posits that a typical commute or work activity may influence domain satisfaction and life satisfaction. The second, drawn from top-down theory, suggests a reverse causality. The findings reveal that life satisfaction can influence domain satisfaction and short-term commute or work activity satisfaction directly. However, the effect from short-term satisfaction to life satisfaction is predominantly indirect, mediating by daily travel and job satisfaction. Compared with travel satisfaction, the relationship between work activity and overall job satisfaction is primarily unidirectional, from the short-term to the medium-term. Moreover, the impacts of commute to work activity satisfaction and of daily travel to job satisfaction are strong and significant, substantiating the spill-over effect theory. This exploration into individuals' commute and work experience offers policy implications for the government and provides insights into enhancing people's quality of life.