How the configurations of job autonomy, work–family interference, and demographics boost job satisfaction: an empirical study using fsQCA

In the gig economy era, job characteristics that affect employees’ job satisfaction have undergone significant changes. However, this has not been studied adequately in the context of Asia. This study applies the job demand–resource model to understand the effect of job autonomy and work–family interference on the job satisfaction of full-time and part-time employees in China, while considering the role of demographics. A total of 415 respondents were analyzed through fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis. The results show that the employees’ demographics have a corrective effect on the impact of job characteristics and job satisfaction. This study also identifies six causal conditions for the high job satisfaction of full-time employees and three causal conditions for part-time employees. Our research finds that full-time employees need high job autonomy, while part-time employees need low work–family interference. The results provide guidelines for managers to redesign jobs in the era of the gig economy.