The Effect of Preserving Job Matches During a Crisis

Morten Bennedsen, Birthe Larsen, Ian Schmutte, Daniela Scur*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

Abstract

It is generally difficult to measure the importance of preserving worker-firm relationships, particularly for low-wage jobs that involve general skills. The COVID-19 pandemic led to the sudden and seemingly temporary disruption of millions of otherwise productive employment relationships around the world. Using novel administrative and survey data from Denmark, we study a policy where firms paid up to 25% of wages to furlough instead of firing workers. We find that aid-taking firms furloughed about 24pp more workers, a large share of whom would have otherwise been laid off, and this had a positive impact on subsequent firm survival, employment growth and sales. Further, we find firms derive value from maintaining ties to low-wage and blue collar workers and that preserving those matches is beneficial to firms, suggesting policies that preserve job matches may help speed-up recovery.
Original languageEnglish
Article number102406
JournalLabour Economics
Volume84
Number of pages41
ISSN0927-5371
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Oct 2023

Bibliographical note

Published online: 11 July 2023.

Keywords

  • Employment subsidies
  • Crisis management

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