University of Tokyo

Abstract
Survey Number 0656
Survey Title Questionnaire Survey for the Reduction of Working Hours, 2008
Depositor Council of Japan Construction Industry Employees' Unions
Restriction of Use For detailed information, please refer to 'For Data Users' at SSJDA website.

- Apply to SSJDA. Depositor's approval required.
Educational Purpose Available for both research and instructional purposes.
Period of Data Use Permission One year
Access to Datasets Download
Nesstar Not available
Summary This survey was conducted as part of the Shorter Working Hours Promotion Month in November 2008, in order to gain a detailed understanding of the working realities and attitudes of members of unions affiliated with the Council of Japan Construction Industry Employees’ Unions (JCU), feeding the findings back into initiatives related to shorter working hours conducted by JCU and its member unions, and thereby contributing to improvements in working conditions across the board.

In November every year, JCU conducts a survey with approximately 25% of union members (approximately 10,000 people) to gather information on their working hours. For 36 years now since 1972, this survey has shed light on the work environment in the construction industry while adapting the content of the questions to suit changes in society. This is the most extensive and consistent survey on white-collar workers in the construction industry.

In this survey, the normalization of long working hours among workers in the construction industry is examined in separate occupational groups, yielding analysis of the attractiveness of the industry in connection with work and life satisfaction and working hours.
Data Type quantitative research
quantitative research: micro data
Universe Members of Council of Japan Construction Industry Employees' Unions
Unit of Observation Individual
Sample Size Sample size: 11,356 people
Valid responses: 9,431 people
Valid response rate: 83.0%
Date of Collection 2008-11-01 ~ 2008-11-01
2008/11/01
Time Period 2008 ~ 2008
Spatial Unit
Sampling Procedure Non-probability: Quota
A sample of approximately 25% of all union members were surveyed.

Questionnaires were distributed in line with the number of members in each member union and the profile of members in terms of age, gender, occupation type, etc.
Mode of Data Collection Self-administered questionnaire
Questionnaire forms and answer sheets distributed in digital format (data files).

Collection method: sent by union branch to union headquarters to JCU
Investigator Council of Japan Construction Industry Employees' Unions
DOI 10.34500/SSJDA.0656
Sponsors (Funds)
Related Publications (by the Investigator) Please refer to the abstract in Japanese.
Related Publications (based on Secondary Analysis) List of related publications (based on Secondary Analysis)
Documentation [Questionnaire]
Major Survey Items 1. Gender, age, location of workplace

2. Occupation type, work duties, availability of overtime pay

3. Taking days off on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays

4. Taking annual paid leave (number of days taken, hesitation to take it, reasons for the hesitation)

5. Job transfer leave systems (days between being informed of transfer and actually transferring, number of job transfer leave days taken, reasons why taking job transfer leave was possible/not possible)

6. Regarding overtime work (number of non-scheduled working hours in November and number of hours on weekdays among them, reason for doing overtime)

7. Attractiveness of the construction industry (feelings of attraction toward the construction industry, reasons for feeling attracted, reasons for not feeling attracted)

8. Relating to health problems (anxiety about health, health anxiety-related items)

9. Relating to work-life balance (level of awareness of work-life balance, feelings toward current overall working hours, level of fulfillment from work, sense of fulfillment in work, sense of fulfillment in private life, company efforts for work-life balance, what respondent wants to achieve through work-life balance)

10. Worksite attributes (worksite format, workers assigned to worksite, contractee, worksite project category, worksite project category, use of building for construction worksite)

11. Worksite closures (days off under works schedule, complete closures of respondent’s worksite for days off in November, number of days of closures on weekdays in November)

12. Initiatives for unified worksite closures on Saturdays (initiatives in place, implementation of preparations in advance)
Date of Release 2010/03/16
Topics in CESSDA Click here for details

Occupational health
Working conditions
Topics in SSJDA Employment/Labor
Version 1 : 2010-03-16
Notes for Users While the Council of Japan Construction Industry Employees’ Unions “Questionnaire Survey for the Reduction of Working Hours” is administered annually to union members, it is not a panel survey.