Factors Related to Presenteeism among South Korean Workers Exposed to Workplace Psychological Adverse Social Behavior

Abstract

Presenteeism negatively affects both individuals and society. This study identified factors of presenteeism among workers in South Korea, especially in relation to exposure to adverse social behaviors. Here, an adverse social behavior refers to any forms of workplace violence or intimidation. This study used the data from 23,164 full-time salaried employees, who participated in the fifth Korean Working Conditions Survey. This study attempted to predict presenteeism based on the exposure to adverse social behaviors and working conditions using logistic regression. Presenteeism was reported in 15.9% of the sample. Presenteeism was significantly higher among workers with the following characteristics: females, aged 40 years or older; middle school graduates; over 40 working hours a week; shift workers; no job-related safety information received; exposure to adverse social behavior and discrimination; and those with a high demand for quantitative work, low job autonomy, high emotional demands, and high job stress. The workers exposed to adverse social behavior showed a higher prevalence of presenteeism (41.2%), and low job autonomy was the most significant predictor of presenteeism. The findings of this study suggest that allowing enough autonomy in job-related roles may help alleviate presenteeism among those who have experienced adverse social behavior at work.

Keywords: Korean Working Conditions Survey; South Korea; adverse social behavior; presenteeism; work.