Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.5559/di.35.1.04
Work, Life, and Well-Being: A Study on Foreign Workers in Croatia
Iva Tadić
; Institute for Migration Research, Zagreb, Croatia
*
Ivan Balabanić
; Institute for Migration Research, Zagreb, Croatia
Marko Turk
; Institute for Migration Research, Zagreb, Croatia
* Corresponding author.
Abstract
This exploratory study examines the subjective quality of life
(SQoL) among foreign workers in Croatia amid increasing
labour migration. Drawing on Cummins' Homeostatic Model of
Subjective Well-Being, the research aimed to determine whether
foreign workers' SQoL deviates from the normative benchmark
and how it relates to socio-demographic, economic, and
psycho-social variables. A survey involved 400 participants,
mainly from the Philippines, Nepal, and India, using validated
instruments, the Personal Wellbeing Index, Perceived Stress Scale,
and Satisfaction with Migration Life Scale, translated into five
languages. Statistical analysis showed that the average SQoL
(M = 61.56) was significantly lower than the normative value
(70), although the effect size was small, with stress emerging as
a major negative correlate (r = -0.18, p < 0.001). While weak
associations were observed for age, country of origin, and planned
duration of stay, employment-related variables and language
proficiency were not significantly associated with SQoL.
Keywords
subjective SQoL; foreign workers; psychological homeostasis; perceived stress; inclusive policies
Hrčak ID:
347450
URI
Publication date:
5.1.2026.
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