Purpose
Today, an increase in precarious employment due to polarization of labor market becomes a new paradigm of employment. In addition this phenomenon brings lower salary, poorer welfare, and worse quality of life. Changers in employment are alre...
Purpose
Today, an increase in precarious employment due to polarization of labor market becomes a new paradigm of employment. In addition this phenomenon brings lower salary, poorer welfare, and worse quality of life. Changers in employment are already adhered need both time and effort. Thus, with macro reforms, it is important understand the pain experienced by workers, as well as to improve their condition microscopically. The purpose of this study is to confirm the actual condition of paid worker’s social exclusion, and analyze the relationship employment status and social exclusion, and mental health to establish a policy to promote mental health.
Method
The study investigated the real condition of social exclusion and analyzed the relationship employment status and social exclusion, and mental health. Social exclusion was comprised of six indicators such as economy, labor, housing, education, social network and social participation. Paid worker was divided into two types, a regular worker defined as ‘paid, full-time, and direct engaged worker’, and the other defined as a precarious worker. The dependent variable, mental health, was comprised of self-respect and depression. This study used the 2,001 regular and 1790 precarious worker’s data from the 4th Korea Welfare Panel Survey.
Using concept of social exclusion, the paid worker’s social exclusion was measured and scored by binary way. This study found that the serious dimensions among the six different types of social exclusion, and another influential dimensions which affect to self-respect and depression. Moreover, we used Baron&Kenny’s mediating effect analysis(1986) to verify the mediating effect of social exclusion.
Result
The study found that there was positive correlation between precarious employment and social exclusion. Particularly precarious worker’s social exclusion was more severe than regular worker’s in labor, education, social participation.
Interestingly, it was obvious that both workers were experienced the same social exclusion, ‘labor, economy, social participation’ respectively.
In mental health, the most influential factor which affects both self-respect and depression was social network exclusion. When measure of mental health was self-respect, social exclusion performed as perfect mediating effecter. However, when the measure of mental health was depression, social exclusion performed as partial mediating effecter.
Conclusions
This study investigated the social exclusion multi-dimensionally and analyzed, an influential social exclusion, which affects paid worker’s mental health. Furthermore, we studied a correlation employment status and social exclusion, and mental health.
When measuring the scale of social exclusion or scoring it, precarious worker was more disadvantagious group than regular worker. Next, among the various exclusion dimensions, the most severe dimension was labor in both groups. Meanwhile, when the measure of mental health was self-respect or depression, both groups were most affected by social network exclusion. It implys that the policy makers should pay attention to paid worker’s social network.