Association between supervisors’ behavior and wage workers’ job stress in Korea: analysis of the fourth Korean working conditions survey

BACKGROUND: In modern society, many workers are stressed. Supervisors’ support or behavior can affect the emotional or psychological part of the worker. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of supervisor’s behavior on worker’s stress. METHODS: The study included 19,272 subjects following the assignment of weighted values to workers other than soldiers using data from the Fourth Korean Working Condition Survey. Supervisors’ behavior was measured using 5 items: “supervisor feedback regarding work,” “respectful attitude,” “good conflict-resolution ability,” “good work-related planning and organizational ability,” and the encouragement of participation in important decision making. Job stress was measured using 1 item: “I experience stress at work.” Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to examine the effects of supervisors’ behavioral, general, occupational, and psychosocial characteristics on job stress in workers. Organizational characteristics associated with supervisors’ behavior were also analyzed. RESULTS: The results showed that supervisors’ provision of feedback regarding work increased workers’ job stress (OR = 1.329, 95% CI = 1.203 ~ 1.468). When a supervisor respect workers (OR = 0.812, 95% CI = 0.722 ~ 0.913) or good at planning and organizing works (OR = 0.816, 95% CI: 0.732 ~ 0.910), workers’ job stress decreased. In particular, the two types of supervisor behaviors, other than feedback regarding work, were high in private-sector organizations employing less than 300 employees. CONCLUSION: Supervisors’ behavior influenced job stress levels in workers. Therefore, it is necessary to increase education regarding the effects of supervisors’ behavior on job stress, which should initially be provided in private-sector organizations with up to 300 employees.