Performance-Based Pay System and Job Stress Related to Depression/Anxiety in Korea: Analysis of Korea Working Condition Survey

Myeong-Hun Lim, Jin-Ha Yoon, Won-Tae Lee, Min-Seok Kim, Seong-Uk Baek and Jong-Uk Won ()
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Myeong-Hun Lim: Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
Jin-Ha Yoon: Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
Won-Tae Lee: Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
Min-Seok Kim: Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
Seong-Uk Baek: Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
Jong-Uk Won: Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 5, 1-13

Abstract: The adoption rate of performance-based pay systems has increased in recent years, and the adverse effects of systems have been emphasized. However, no study has analyzed the increase in the risk of depression/anxiety symptoms caused by the pay system in Korea. This study aimed to reveal the association between performance-based pay systems and symptoms of depression/anxiety, using data from the fifth Korean Working Conditions Survey. Depressive/anxiety symptoms were assessed using “yes” or “no” questions regarding medical problems related to depression/anxiety. The performance-based pay system and job stress were estimated using self-response answers. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine the association between performance-based pay systems, job stress, and symptoms of depression/anxiety using data from 27,793 participants. The performance-based pay system significantly increased the risk of the symptoms. Additionally, risk increments were calculated after grouping by pay system and job stress. Workers with two risk factors had the highest risk of symptoms of depression/anxiety for both sexes (male: OR 3.05; 95% CI 1.70–5.45; female: OR 2.15; 95% CI 1.32–3.50), implying synergistic effect of performance-based pay system and job stress on depression/anxiety symptoms. Based on these findings, policies should be established for early detection and protection against the risk of depression/anxiety.

Keywords: performance-based pay system; job stress; depression; anxiety (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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