Gender-specific Mental Strain in the Working Context

This is an analysis of the mental strain of employees in Germany. It addresses the question whether there is a genderbased gradient in emotional exhaustion in the working context. 4000 employees were asked by means of an online access panel in 2019. Women suffer significantly more often from emotional exhaustion, even after controlling for various demographic and work-related third variables. The finding is independent of migration experiences. Wage satisfaction appears to be the strongest predictor of emotional exhaustion which is in line with Siegrist’s model of effort-reward-imbalances. Having children is a significant risk factor. Therefore, the adjusted gender pay gap has to be closed, while the compatibility of family and career needs to be strengthened on the levels of government and society. These would be improvements from which women with and without migration background would profit to the same extent.