Better off solo? Comparative well-being of Māori employers, sole traders and paid employees

Māori, New Zealand’s Indigenous people, are projected to make up over 20% of the New Zealand workforce in 20 years. Employment plays a big role in determining one’s well-being. Drawing on data from 2,378 Māori who completed the survey-based Māori Identity and Financial Attitudes Study in 2017, this article examines differences in subjective well-being between workers in three categories: paid employees, employers (who employ staff) and sole traders (with no employees). Several measures are used to capture well-being across multiple domains. Sole traders were significantly more satisfied with their standard of living and health and higher in self-efficacy compared to paid employees. Māori employers were significantly more satisfied with their standard of living, future security and personal relationships, and reported greater self-esteem and financial satisfaction than sole traders and paid employees. Although only one cultural context is examined, this article demonstrates the potential benefit of understanding the implications of self-employment for Indigenous peoples.