University of Tokyo

Abstract
Survey Number 0531
Survey Title The Questionnaire Survey on Work and Life of Workers, 2006.10
Depositor JTUC Research Institute for Advancement of Living Standards
(Former Name:Research Institute for Advancement of Living Standards)
Restriction of Use For detailed information, please refer to 'For Data Users' at SSJDA website.

- Apply to SSJDA. SSJDA's approval required.
Educational Purpose Available for both research and instructional purposes.
Period of Data Use Permission One year
Access to Datasets Download
SSJDA Data Analysis Not available
Summary This survey, “The Questionnaire Survey on Work and Life of Workers,” aims to clarify economic, employment, and living trends as seen from the perspective of workers and to obtain basic information with which to consider policy issues from the perspective of improving employment and quality of life. This is done by periodically exploring workers’ attitudes toward economic trends in Japan and their current state of work and living.

The survey has been conducted regularly in April and October of every year since the first survey in April 2001, and this is the 12th survey. In the 10th survey (October 2005), we added a number of improvements, including a revision of the fixed-point observation items and expansion of the survey subjects to people in their early 60s, and these are reflected in this survey as well. All surveys conducted to date are archived in the SSJDA.

January 2002 marked the beginning of a long-lasting economic recovery phase, and in November 2006, this economic environment became the longest since the war, surpassing the “Izanagi economic boom.” Moreover, the expected growth rate of companies has increased, and employment and consumption sentiment continues to improve. However, from the viewpoint of daily life and work, it can be said that this economic recovery is not accompanied by an actual feeling of recovery.

So, we have taken up issues related to work-life balance, such as “daily time allocation,” “unpaid overtime,” and “systems for obtaining annual paid leave,” as topics in this survey.
Data Type quantitative research
quantitative research: micro data
Universe Private company employees in their 20s to early 60s who live in the Greater Tokyo Area and Kansai region
Unit of Observation Individual
Sample Size
Number of questionnaires distributed│     All respondents│      Employed
                         │ Valid responses  Valid response rate │Valid responses  Valid response rate
“In 20s to 50s”  900        │   809          89.9% │  772          85.8%
“In early 60s”   200        │  176          88.0% │ 159           79.5%

Although this survey targets “employees working at private companies,” the sample contains some respondents who are not employees, owing to a change in their employment status from the time they registered for the access panel and the time the survey was conducted. 37 of the respondents “in their 20s to 50s” and 17 “in their early 60s” in the current survey fall under this category of non-employees. The survey results of only employed people were analyzed. 
Date of Collection 2006-09-30 ~ 2006-10-11
2006/09/30 (Sat) – 10/11 (Wed)
Time Period 2006 ~ 2006
Spatial Unit kanto
kinki
The Greater Tokyo Area Kansai region
“In 20s to 50s”    65.2%   34.8%
“In early 60s”   69.8%   30.2%
Sampling Procedure Non-probability: Quota
Other
The sample allocation criteria for the original survey subjects, “people in their 20s to 50s,” were prepared the same as before, taking into account the population size of private employees in the Greater Tokyo Area and Kansai region, as well as the distribution of employees by gender/age group of the “2002 (Heisei 14) Employment Status Survey.” Based on these allocation criteria, 582 people living in the Greater Tokyo Area and 318 people in Kansai region (total 900 people) were extracted from the access panel of INTAGE Inc. (approximately 220,000 people nationwide).

In order to secure a large enough sample, we set the extraction rate of the “early 60’s” group at nearly four times that of the “20’s to 50’s” group. With respect to private employees of “60 to 64 years old” in the “2002 Employment Status Survey,” the sample distribution criteria were prepared in consideration of distribution by gender and form of employment in the Greater Tokyo Area and Kansai region. Based on these allocation criteria, the total of 200 people between the ages of “60 and 64” living in the Greater Tokyo Area and Kansai region were extracted from among the access panels of INTAGE Inc. (approximately 220,000 people nationwide).

In order to secure a large enough sample, we set the extraction rate of the “early 60’s” group at nearly four times that of the “20’s to 50’s” group. With respect to private employees of “60 to 64 years old” in the “2002 Employment Status Survey,” the sample distribution criteria were prepared in consideration of distribution by gender and form of employment in the Greater Tokyo Area and Kansai region. Based on these distribution criteria, 200 residents in the Greater Tokyo Area/Kansai region of “60 to 64 years old” were extracted from among the INTAGE Inc. access panelists (approximately 220,000 people nationwide).
Mode of Data Collection Self-administered questionnaire: Paper
Questionnaires for self-administered mail survey were distributed
Data in the analysis are summarized separately for those in their 20s to 50s and those in their early 60s, owing the differences in sampling method for these two groups as outlined above.
Investigator Research Institute for Advancement of Living Standards, survey carried out by INTAGE Inc.
DOI 10.34500/SSJDA.0531
Sponsors (Funds)
Related Publications (by the Investigator) Questionnaire
Related Publications (based on Secondary Analysis) List of related publications (based on Secondary Analysis)
Documentation
Major Survey Items Questionnaire items:

< Fixed-point survey >

(1) Economic trends and business situation at place of employment
Current Japanese economy compared with one year ago, reasons for feeling the economic climate is good or bad, Japanese economic forecast one year later, work status, current business situation at the place of employment (performance) (comparison with one year ago/forecast one year later), increase or decrease in number of employees compared to one year ago (regular employees/non-regular employees), increase or decrease in actual working hours compared with one year ago, anxiety about becoming unemployed in one year

(2) Income, consumption and living conditions
Increase or decrease in personal wage income (comparison with one year ago/forecast one year later), increase or decrease in household income (comparison with one year ago/forecast one year later), increase or decrease in total household consumption (comparison with one year ago/ forecast one year later), income and expenditure of entire household in the past year, sense of fluctuation in prices (comparison with one year ago/ forecast one year later)

(3) Evaluation of work and life
Things respondent considers important about work, evaluation of work at the place of employment (11 items), characteristics of work and degree of discretion (10 items),time allocation for work and non-work activities, whether respondent wants to work for a different company/reasons, satisfaction level with work, satisfaction level with life in general, health condition.

(4) Labor union
Existence of labor union, membership status, intention to become a union member, whether a union is necessary


<Topics survey>

(5) Time use
Number of working days per week, time allocation per day (working days, non-working days), social participation (whether participating in community activities/volunteer activities/number of participation days per year), personal development (recognition and usage of education and training benefit system, personal development pursued in a year, average time spent on personal development per month), future wishes for time use, future wishes for spouse’s “working time”

(6) Unpaid overtime
Reasons for working outside of regular hours, eligibility for overtime allowance, working hours system implemented, method of determining the time for which overtime allowance is paid, percentage of overtime allowance that is actually paid, reason for unpaid overtime, status of efforts to reduce unpaid overtime

(7) Systems to obtain annual paid leave
Whether there are various systems for obtaining annual paid leave in companies, effects on promoting the obtaining of annual paid leave, intention to use the system to obtain annual paid leave

Face items:
Gender, age, marital status, highest level of educational attainment, actual working hours per week, annual personal income (wage, wage + others), annual household income, household earners other than respondent, spouse’s employment status, spouse’s actual working hours per week, financial provider in the household, political party supported, employer’s industry, size by number of employees, occupation type, years of continuous employment

In addition, the access panel registration information was used for household composition, area of residence, type of residence, and number of years at residence.
Date of Release 2007/03/01
Topics in CESSDA Click here for details

Economic conditions and indicators
Employment
Labour relations/conflict
Working conditions
Time use
Topics in SSJDA Employment/Labor
Society/Culture
Version 1 : 2007-03-01
Notes for Users Variable and value labels are written in Japanese.