Work hours, work schedules, and subjective well-being in Korea

• In Event: 4367 - Section on Asia and Asian America Roundtables
  In Refereed Roundtable 100min: 9. Occupation and Work

Abstract

Despite scholarly attention to the effect of long work hours on individuals’ subjective well-being, the effect of nonstandard work hours has been relatively less studied. Drawing on the 2014 Time Use Survey data in Korea, we selected currently employed people ages between 19 and 65 and examined the effects of total work hours as well as work schedule on feeling rushed, feeling tired, and life satisfaction. We find that long work hours are negatively related with subjective well-being regardless of work shift. When an interaction term between standard and nonstandard shift is added, however, the negative effect on subjective well-being is larger for those who work only at nonstandard shift.

Authors

• Yun-Suk Lee, University of Seoul

• Yoo-Jean Song, Dong-A University