Work-life Balance and Mental Health in South Korea

Study Notes

South Korea has the third longest working hours in the OECD, averaging 1,993 hours per year (2018)
The country implemented the 40-hour workweek in 2004, reducing the statutory work hours from 44 hours to 40 hours, often referred to as the "5-day workweek"
South Korea has a higher percentage of long-hour workers (over 49 hours per week) than other major developed countries, with 32% of its workforce working long hours compared to 20% in Japan, 16.4% in the US, 12.2% in the UK, 10.5% in France, 9.9% in Italy, and 9.3% in Germany (2016 data)

Workplace psychological health emphasizes the importance of mental hygiene and occupational safety, and organizations should proactively create work environments that promote employee well-being
Industrial workers experience a high number of fatalities and injuries, with 2.2 million worker deaths and 270 million minor accidents occurring annually globally (Brough et al., 2009; Kaplan and Tetrick, 2011)

The Scientific Management movement of the early 20th century emphasized the separation of worker's thoughts and emotions from their actions.
As employee education levels increased, the importance of "human factors" began to be considered, contributing to the emergence of "mental hygiene"
The integration of counseling psychology with adaptation and mental health contributed to the development of the fields of "workplace psychological health" and "occupational health" in the mid-20th century (Kornhauser's "Mental Health of the Industrial Worker", 1965)

"Workaholic" or "karoshi" (death from overwork) as a societal issue
Increasing focus on workplace well-being and happiness
Positive psychology emphasizes the importance of social and emotional rewards for well-being and happiness, as opposed to purely materialistic rewards (Seligman, Csikszentmihalyi, Diener)
Luthans (2002) emphasized that positive psychology aims to shift focus from negativity to positivity, prioritizing strengths over weaknesses, resilience over vulnerability, and well-being and flourishing over the treatment of pathologies.

Millennial generations push for work-life balance despite a "constant connectivity" work culture.
Occupational health psychology aims to achieve a balance between organizational profit and employee well-being.
Cleveland and Colella (2010) advocate for incorporating workplace psychological health metrics into organizational success assessments.

Hedonic well-being (satisfaction)
- Defined by high positive emotions and low negative emotions, alongside high overall life satisfaction
- Similar to subjective well-being and happiness
Eudaimonic well-being (fulfillment with life)
- Ryff's six-factor model of psychological well-being: autonomy, environmental mastery, personal growth, positive relations with others, purpose in life, and self-acceptance
- Self-determination theory (SDT) by Deci and Ryan: focuses on intrinsic motivation, autonomy, relatedness, and competence as key contributors to psychological well-being
Psychological Richness (Oishi & Westgate, 2021): Third dimension of a "Good life", encompassing feelings of curiosity, interest, engagement, and meaning

Opportunity for personal control (autonomy): Ability to control activities and events in one's work environment
Opportunity to use and develop skills: Environment facilitates or hinders the use and development of skills, avoiding routine tasks that limit skill application
Externally generated goals: Environment provides goals, challenges, and purpose (job demand, task demands, role responsibility)
Environmental variety: Diverse work environment contributes to positive mental health.
Environmental clarity: Clarity regarding one's role, task feedback, predictable results, lowered uncertainty about the future
Availability of money: While money does not guarantee mental health, lack of it can lead to significant psychological problems
Physical security: Safe and secure work environment
Opportunity for interpersonal contact: Interactions with others can contribute to well-being and psychological health
Opportunity for achievement: Environment provides opportunities for accomplishment and achievements, impacting self-esteem and confidence

Long work hours and lack of work-life balance are significant issues.
The concept of "karoshi" (death from overwork) highlights the serious impact of work pressure.
Organizations need to prioritize employee well-being and create a culture that promotes mental health.
Positive psychology emphasizes the importance of fostering a positive work environment with social and emotional rewards.
Occupational health psychology plays a crucial role in balancing organizational goals with employee well-being.
Warr's Nine Determinants of Workplace Psychological Well-being provide a framework for understanding and improving mental health in the workplace.