• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.107-113
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• 2024

This study aims to classify types of work-life balance among employees using Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) and investigate variations in depressive symptoms and satisfaction with working conditions across these types. Data were derived from the 6th Korean Working Conditions Survey (KWCS), conducted between 2020 and 2021, which included a sample of 49,479 employed individuals. The LPA revealed three distinct profiles of work-life balance: Low Balance (18.5%), Moderate Balance (72.9%), and High Balance (8.6%). Significant differences in depressive symptoms and satisfaction with working conditions were observed among these profiles. Specifically, the Low Balance group exhibited the highest levels of depressive symptoms and the lowest satisfaction with working conditions, while the High Balance group displayed the lowest depressive symptoms and the highest satisfaction. These findings underscore the critical role of work-life balance in influencing both depressive symptoms and job satisfaction among workers.

• Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
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• v.35
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• pp.21.1-21.11
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• 2023

Background: Recently, irregular working hours have become controversial issues in Korea. The health impact of irregular working hours on the work-related musculoskeletal pain (MSP) is scarcely researched before. We sought to investigate the association between irregular working hours and work-related MSP among South Korean workers. Methods: This study used data from the sixth Korean Working Conditions Survey in 2020. The prevalence of work-related MSP was analyzed using the χ² test. A multiple logistic regression analysis was conducted to assess the association between irregular working hours and work-related MSP. We conducted stratified analysis by gender, weekly working hours, and workers' control over their working hours. We calculated the adjusted odds ratios (ORs) of work-related MSP for irregular working hours combined with weekly working hours. Results: The OR for work-related MSP was significantly higher in the population with irregular working hours than in the population with regular working hours (OR: 1.43, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.29-1.58). Irregular and long (> 52 hours/week) working hours have the highest risk of work-related MSP in both genders (in men, OR: 3.48 [95% CI: 2.53-4.78]; in women, OR: 2.41 [95% CI: 1.46-4.00]). Conclusions: Irregular working hours were associated with work-related MSP in Korea. The association was magnified with long working hours. Reform of the Korean Labor Standards Act leading to increase irregular working hours may induce adverse health outcome.

• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.203-213
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• 2014

Sickness absence is one of the most important indicators for worker's health and occupational safety and health performance. Sickness absence is primarily depended upon sickness but psycho-social factors in workplace may moderate sickness absence. Even though worker is falling into illness, sickness absence can be prevented by job satisfaction. In Korea it is very difficult to find research output about the association of sickness absence with job satisfaction. This study is planned to investigate the effect of job satisfaction on sickness absence. The third Korean Working Conditions Survey done by Occupational Safety and Health Research Institute in 2011 was used to analyze by logistic regression analysis. The result has shown that job satisfaction has statistically significant effect on sickness absence and simultaneously diminish the effect of symptoms experience on sickness absence. The effect of job satisfaction is greater in short term sickness absence than in long term sickness absence. This study has some limitation because of the cross sectional data of Korean Working Conditions Survey. In future, sophisticated statistical analysis may be done with modelling.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.17-29
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• 2016

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to measure psychological well-being and to examine the associated factors in male baby boomers using Korean Working Conditions Survey Data 2011. Methods: This study was based on the 3rd Korean Working Conditions Survey Data 2011, which was conducted from June to November 2011 by the Occupational Safety and Health Research Institute. The total number of subjects was 3,340 male employees, who were born from 1955 to 1963 and responded to the question regarding occupational stress. Chi-square and multiple logistic regression were used for data analysis using the SAS ver 9.3 program. Results: Approximately 54.5% of the male babyboomer employees did not have psychological well-being. Factors associated with psychological well-being were weekend-shift and occupational stress including job insecurity, organizational system, and lack of reward. Night-shift and long working hours influenced psychological well-being, but the difference was not statistically significant. Conclusion: This study is a meaningful attempt to measure psychological well-being and perform an analysis of associated factors in male baby boomer employees using nationwide survey data. We suggest a complex institutional supplement in terms of national and employers to increase the psychological well-being of baby boomers.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.266-277
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• 2003

In order to investigate the working conditions related to cumulative trauma disorder(CTD) and symptoms of CTD, a survey was conducted covering 305 employees who were working in three furniture manufacturing companies in Kyungin area. Data were collected by using questionnaire of the Personal Ergonomics Profiles. The results were as follows : 1. The mean score of working conditions related to CTD was 0.95. The mean score of working conditions for labor workers were significantly higher than that of clerical workers. Among 4 factors of working conditions, the higher score were shown in the working and environment factors with 1.22 and 1.18, respectively. 2. Symptom prevalence rate of CTD for workers was $81.0\%\;{;}\;82.9\%$ for labor workers and $77.0\%$ for clerical workers. As for symptom of CTD in body part, higher rate were shown in lower back with $50.2\%$, shoulder and neck with $38.4\%\;and\;36.4\%$ respectively. 3. The score of symptom severity of CTD were 3.45. Significant difference was shown in symptom severity of forearm and wrist/hand part between labor and clerical workers. As for symptom severity of CTD in body part the higher score were shown in shoulder, ankle/foot, forearm. lower leg and elbow. and the highest score for labor workers were shoulder and ankle/foot and for clerical workers was lower back. 4. As a whole, symptom of CTD for workers positively correlated to working conditions. 5. Symptom of CTD for workers seemed to be significantly influenced by working factor, sex, working duration and working area factor.

• Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
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• v.35
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• pp.20.1-20.7
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• 2023

The policy proposal by the current Korean government that proposes flexible overtime rules is causing social controversy. This study has explored the 612 experts' opinions on the occupational safety and health impacts of the policy using an online self-report survey. They expected short-term overwork (87.25%), overwork inequality (86.44%), irregular working hours (84.31%), chronic overwork (84.15%), long working hours (83.66%), and unpredictability of working hours (81.86%) as a result of the policy change. They also responded that the policy change would increase industrial accident deaths (87.25%), mental illnesses (87.09%), deaths due to overwork or cardiovascular diseases (83.84%), and accidents (83.33%). They disagreed that the government's flexibilization policy, while agreeing that the necessity of policies on regulating night work (94.77%), guaranteeing wages to eliminate overtime (90.36%), establishing working time regulations for the bogus self-employed (82.84%), and applying the 52-hour workweek system to all workplaces (76.47%). These expert opinions are consistent with previous research on the health effects of working hours.

• Korean journal of food and cookery science
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.725-738
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• 2009

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of working conditions on internship satisfaction. Hotel & Restaurant management students at universities in Jeonju participated in this study. Out of 156 questionnaires, 149 were analyzed using SPSS 17.0 and descriptive analysis, frequency test, factor analysis, reliability test, chi-square, t-test, ANOVA, duncan's multiple regression analysis, correlation analysis and regression analysis were used. Based on the result of the conducting factor analysis, the working conditions were classified into 2 factors: work suitability and work environment. Internship satisfaction was classified into 3 factors: internship preference, education and work satisfaction, company satisfaction. Cronbach's alpha was calculated for the reliability of the survey instrument. Consequently, the working conditions were shown to affect internship satisfaction. Among the working conditions, work suitability had a lower effect on internship satisfaction than work environment. At the resort used in this study, the salary level was high, but the level of work environment, internship preference, and company satisfaction was low. The students wanted attend an internship program at the desired place to be hired and found that it was more important to be assigned to the desired department than having a higher salary.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.213-225
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• 2020

Objectives: In order to prepare measures to enhance construction workers' satisfaction with their working environment, the effects of working conditions and the mediating effects of safety and health information on workers' satisfaction with their working environment in the construction industry have been studied. The results of this study can be used as basic data for further studies in this field. Method: Data on 1,361 male construction workers from the 5th Korea Working Condition Survey (KWCS) were used for this study. The effects of working conditions were analyzed using SPSS 25.0 and the mediating effects of health and safety information were analyzed with SPSS PROCESS macro using the bootstrap method. Results: The safety and health management system and the self-determination of break time had a statistically significant positive effect on satisfaction with the working environment. Chemical and ergonomic risk factors had a statistically significant negative effect on satisfaction with the working environment. The provision of safety and health information, the mediating variable, had a statistically significant positive effect on satisfaction with the working environment. Therefore, it had a mediating effect between working conditions and satisfaction with the working environment. Conclusion: In order to enhance construction workers' satisfaction with their working environment, the above results suggest that the safety and health management system should be well established; self-determination of break times should be guaranteed; and chemical and ergonomic risk factors should be controlled. In addition, workers should be provided with necessary health and safety information related to their work. This study will be useful if these findings are used as basic data in further studies in related fields.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2020

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of work environment on health problems of nurses. Methods: The subjects of the study were 395 nurses who were wage workers among KWCS (Korean Working Conditions Survey) respondents in 2014. The work environments were measured by the KWCS questionnaire. Results: 48.5% of the 395 nurses had health problems. The prevalence of musculoskeletal diseases (34.7%) was the highest among all health problems. The ergonomic work environment was significantly related to musculoskeletal disorders, headache and eye strain, and fatigue. In addition, the increase in work-individual interface area was significantly related to fatigue. Conclusion: The work environment of nurses affects health problems. It is therefore important to develop strategies that improve the health problems of nurses by reducing ergonomic and psycho-social risk factors.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.53-58
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• 2024

Background: As social distancing persists and interest in work-life balance grows, more companies are adopting flexible work policies. While there have been studies on sleep disorders associated with different types of work, such as shift work, research exploring the relationship between flexible work schedules and sleep disorders is still limited, particularly among Korean workers. Methods: We performed a secondary analysis of the 6th Korean Working Conditions Survey, focusing on 31,243 paid workers out of a total of 50,538 participants. We defined flexible workers as those who set their own working hours. Sleep disorders were divided into three categories: 'difficulty falling asleep,' 'frequent waking during sleep,' and 'waking up feeling exhausted and fatigued.' Using scores derived from three specific symptoms, the Minimal Insomnia Symptoms Scale (MISS) was calculated to assess the prevalence of insomnia. We used chi-square tests to analyze demographic and job-related differences. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was employed to identify any relationship between flexible work schedules and sleep disorders. Results: Significant differences were found between flexible and non-flexible workers regarding age, income level, education level, and job type. Flexible workers reported sleep-related symptoms significantly more often. The odds ratio for insomnia was 1.40 (95% CI 1.21-1.61). For males, the odds ratio was 1.68 (1.36-2.08). Conclusion: This study establishes a correlation between flexible work schedules and sleep disorders among Korean salaried workers. Potential causes could include changes in circadian rhythm, increased work demands, and extended working hours. To precisely determine causality and associated diseases, further research is required.