South Korea has long been cited for its workers having the world's longest workday. I see this dedication as a contributor to success of many Korean firms. But it may come at a price. In a recent article in Chosun Ilbo, they note that an overwhelming majority of Korean office workers complain work is making them chronically sick, and three out of 10 have quit their jobs due to ill health.
Online polls have found that of 560 office workers, 75.7 percent or 424 said they contracted a chronic illness at work. Of these, 40 percent complained work made them literally sick to the stomach, citing gastric ulcers, stomachache, constipation and diarrhea, followed by stress-related trouble with 26.4 percent, and bone and muscle problems with 17 percent.
Those who suffered headaches and depression accounted for 5.6 percent each, and some 1.9 percent had respiratory trouble. Another 1.9 percent complained of lifestyle-related illnesses such as diabetes and hypertension.
About 27 percent said that they had resigned over health problems, with more men (29.8 percent) than women (21.7 percent) throwing in the towel.
Actually, these finding come as no surprise...nearly a decade ago in Japan, similar concerns over stress induced illness also began to manifest.
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