A Study on the influence of Organizational Trust on The Satisfaction with the Working Environment
Authors:   Form of Public Safety and Culture, Chung Kwang Jae , Jang Gil Sang , Park Chang Kwon 
Published: February 2024

As of 2022, the number of migrant workers entering the Korea through the Employment Permit System has surpassed 84,000, with the employment permit quota expanding to 110,000 individuals in 2023. These migrant workers mainly find employment in sectors typically shunned by domestic laborers, such as manufacturing, small and medium-sized enterprises, construction, agriculture, and fisheries. The Korean government has been implementing measures to mitigate the labor shortage in these industrial sectors due to a declining birth rate and an aging population, with a concerted effort to normalize the influx of foreign workers through policy support.
Given that a substantial portion of foreign workers occupies roles in production settings, they often exhibit lower expectations regarding organizational responsibility and job engagement compared to their Korean workers. Language communication barriers and cultural adaptation issues further complicate the establishment of trust relationships in the workplace. Consequently, there exists a compelling need to comprehend the influence of organizational trust, trust in superiors, and job engagement—significant components of strategic human resource management measures—on satisfaction with the working environment, even in workplaces that employ foreign workers. This study seeks to enhance the working conditions and ensure occupational safety and health for foreign workers by examining the mediating role of job engagement and the moderating influence of trust to their supervisors in the relationship between the migrant workers' organizational trust and their satisfaction with the working environment. The main goal of this study is to offer practical insights for business preparations in their workplace.
This study analyzed responses from 288 migrant workers collected through the 6th Working Environment Survey. Hierarchical regression analysis was used to assess the relationships among organizational trust, trust in supervisors, organizational commitment, and satisfaction with the working environment. The findings revealed that migrant workers' trust in their organization positively influences their overall satisfaction with the working environment. Additionally, organizational trust was found to significantly affect organizational commitment. Organizational commitment partially mediates the relationship between organizational trust and work environment satisfaction, and trust in immediate supervisors strengthens the positive relationship between organizational trust and commitment.
These findings provide essential insights into the dynamics of organizational trust among migrant workers and its implications for job satisfaction and engagement. This research contributes to the development of practical strategies for employers and managers to enhance organizational trust and commitment among migrant workers. It also highlights the importance of safety behaviors and leadership in workplaces that employ a significant number of migrant workers, emphasizing the need for establishing a safety culture in these settings.