No time for people! Family support, loneliness, burnout and meaning in life in skilled foreign workers in Japan

Abstract

While Japan's declining population and increasing demand for skilled labor have been widely researched, little attention has been given to the psychosocial and existential challenges faced by skilled foreign workers in Japan. This study (N=175) examines the relationships between family support, loneliness, burnout, and meaning in life among skilled foreign workers in Japan, framed by existential analysis theory. Results indicate that while participants report strong family support and do not experience significant loneliness, they face difficulties in forming deep relationships due to work-life balance challenges. These workers often lack long-term plans to settle in Japan, citing various factors, and report moderate levels of burnout. Hierarchical regression analysis reveals that age, gender, loneliness, family support, and burnout significantly impact the participants' sense of meaning in life. Key challenges identified include language barriers, loneliness, and work-life balance, while positive aspects of life in Japan include safety and daily convenience.

Keywords

• Skilled foreign workers
• Burnout
• Meaning in life
• Existential analysis
• Loneliness
• Japan

İnsanlar için zaman yok! Aile desteği, yalnızlık, tükenmişlik ve Japonya'daki vasıflı yabancı işçilerde yaşam anlamı

Abstract

Japonya’nın azalan nüfusu ve nitelikli iş gücüne yönelik artan talebi geniş ölçüde araştırılmış olsa da, Japonya’da yaşayan nitelikli yabancı çalışanların yaşadığı psikososyal ve varoluşsal zorluklara sınırlı düzeyde dikkat gösterilmiştir. Bu çalışma (N = 175), varoluşsal analiz kuramı çerçevesinde, Japonya’daki nitelikli yabancı çalışanlar arasında aile desteği, yalnızlık, tükenmişlik ve yaşamda anlam arasındaki ilişkileri incelemektedir. Bulgular, katılımcıların güçlü aile desteği bildirdiklerini ve belirgin düzeyde yalnızlık yaşamadıklarını, ancak iş-yaşam dengesi sorunları nedeniyle derin ilişkiler kurmakta zorlandıklarını ortaya koymaktadır. Katılımcıların birçoğu, çeşitli bireysel ve yapısal nedenlerle Japonya’da uzun vadeli yerleşim planlarının olmadığını ve orta düzeyde tükenmişlik yaşadıklarını belirtmiştir. Hiyerarşik regresyon analizleri, yaş, cinsiyet, yalnızlık, aile desteği ve tükenmişliğin katılımcıların yaşamda anlam algısı üzerinde anlamlı etkiler oluşturduğunu göstermektedir. Çalışmada belirlenen başlıca zorluklar arasında dil engelleri, yalnızlık ve iş-yaşam dengesi sorunları öne çıkarken; Japonya’daki yaşamın olumlu yönleri olarak güvenlik ve günlük yaşamın pratikliği dikkat çekmektedir.

Keywords

• Nitelikli yabancı çalışanlar
• Tükenmişlik
• Yaşamda anlam
• Varoluşsal analiz
• Yalnızlık
• Japonya

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