• Journal of Families and Better Life
• /
• v.30 no.4
• /
• pp.13-24
• /
• 2012

This study attempts to examine the effect of family friendly work policies on the work-family balance of employed married women with young children. While previous research has investigated the effects of family friendly work policies, the effects has often been confounded with the effects of other covariates such as worker's and workplace's characteristics. In this study, we try to distinguish the effects of the family friendly work policies from those of other covariates. We draw a sample of 131 employed married women with children under age 12 from the $2^{nd}$ National Korean Family Survey. We compare the level of work-famiy balance of the women by the type of workplace: public sector, large enterprise, medium enterprise, and small enterprise. The results of this study show that some of the differences in the work-family balance of the women working in the different type of workplace can be attributed to socio-demographic background of the women and the work characteristics of workplace. There is, however, an effect of family friendly policies on the work-family balance between those who work in public sector and in medium enterprise after controlling the effects of the covariates.

• Journal of Family Resource Management and Policy Review
• /
• v.20 no.3
• /
• pp.151-171
• /
• 2016

The purpose of this study was to identify the relationship between family-friendly policies in working places and the childbearing intentions of married-employed women. The analysis included 415 married working women from the 2012 wave of the Korean Longitudinal Survey of Women and Family. The factors influencing the childbearing intentions of the women were age, education, number of children under age 18, childbirth leave, childcare facilities, and flextime. The women whose work-places provided childbirth leave had stronger childbearing intentions. The women under age 35 had stronger childbearing intentions when their work-places had flextime policies. In conclusion, my recommendation is that the government should pay more attention to the micro-personal factors, such as the Family-friendly Workplace Practices proposed in this study, when executing policies to reverse the current trend of low fertility.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
• /
• v.33 no.5
• /
• pp.365-376
• /
• 2014

Objective:The objective of this study is to apply the principals and policies of universal design to offer a safe and efficient workplace for older workers. Background: The concept of universal design has rapidly developed under the paradigm that tasks should be easy and comfortable for all people with diverse features. The concept is also fitting when designing a workplace. Method: Legislations, policies and precedents of workplaces with older workers have been studied and analyzed. The compilation has been used to project the present and future of employing universal design at workplace devisal. Results: Every country has its own legislations/policies regarding universal design, flexible working, and age-friendly workplaces to increase hire of older workers. The basic concept of UD and its application is explained. This study provides guidelines for employing universal design at workplaces and preventing accidents for older workers. Conclusion: Following the principals of universal design is expected to furnish a comfortable and safe workplace and lengthen the period of workers participating in the labor force in an ageing society. Application: This study offers the principles for universal design, serving as fundamental research for its application to the workplace.

• The Korean Journal of Community Living Science
• /
• v.25 no.2
• /
• pp.147-161
• /
• 2014

This study explores the factors influencing employees' use of family-friendly programs. Although recent years have witnessed an increasing number of family-friendly programs offered in the workplace, many studies have reported a lack of their actual use. This study considers various socio-demographic and workplace characteristics such as attitudes toward gender roles, and the perceptions of the work environment to better understand the reason behind this insufficient use. For this, data from the 2nd National Korean Family Survey in 2010 were employed. The results based on a total of 408 employees with diverse occupations indicate that among the four family-friendly programs evaluated(flexible working hours, child care, dependant care, and employee wellbeing), child care programs were most frequently provided by employers. In addition, the factors influencing employee participation in family-friendly programs were associated mainly with workplace characteristics or attitudes toward gender roles. The work environment including the employee's perceptions of how comfortable it is to accept assistance from family-friendly programs was also a key factor. Personal characteristics such as age and attitudes toward gender roles except for family needs had significant effects on employee participation in family-friendly programs. Future research should examine the effects of various environmental factors on employees' responses to family-friendly programs and investigate additional factors that can further enhance the effectiveness of such programs.

• Human Ecology Research
• /
• v.57 no.3
• /
• pp.353-367
• /
• 2019

This study investigates the influence of family-friendly workplace policies and organizational culture on the willingness of married female managers to have a child. The analysis includes 353 married female managers from the $6^{th}$ survey of the 2016 Korean Women Manager Panel. Factors that are found to influence the respondents include age, education, number of children, job position, promotional goals, accessibility to family leave, accessibility to shorter work hours during the child-rearing period, and organizational culture. Female managers who can easily use family leave or who have shorter work hours during the child-rearing period show a higher willingness to have a child. By contrast, those whose work places employ a fair and horizontal organizational culture are less willing to have a child. The introduction of family-friendly policies are not found to be statistically significant determinants of female managers' willingness to have a child. We find that influencing family-friendly policies between the first and second childbirth differ. The accessibility of family-friendly policies that affect the willingness of female managers to have a child when they have no child include parental leave, employer-supported childcare, and childcare subsidies. For improving their willingness to have a second child, accessibility to both family leave and shorter work hours during the child-rearing period are effective. In conclusion, the government should strongly consider micro-personal factors, such as family-friendly workplace practices and organizational culture, when executing policies to reverse the current trend of low fertility.

• Journal of Family Resource Management and Policy Review
• /
• v.24 no.2
• /
• pp.1-21
• /
• 2020

The purpose of this research was, first, to classify work-life satisfaction among married wage workers aged 20-59 years into several distinct types based on two dimensions of work and life, using data from the 20th(2017) wave of the Korean Labor & Income Panel Study. Second, the study aimed to assess the differences in socio-demographic characteristics (sex, age, educational level, average monthly income), and workplace-related variables (weekly working hours, full-time employment, job stability, business type, family-friendly leave policies) by work-life satisfaction type. Accordingly, four types of work-life satisfaction were identified: work-life satisfaction, work-life dissatisfaction, work satisfaction, and life satisfaction. There was a significant difference in the type of work-life satisfaction among married waged workers based on sex, age, educational level, and average monthly income. Additionally, there was a significant difference in the type of work-life satisfaction for all workplace-related variables, namely, weekly working hours, full-time employment, job stability, business type, and family-friendly leave policies. In particular, proportionally higher values of work-life satisfaction were evident among the workers in companies with family-friendly leave policies such as paid leave, menstrual leave, maternity leave, childcare leave, and family events leave, whereas there was a high rate of work-life dissatisfaction among the workers in companies without family-friendly leave policies.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
• /
• v.28 no.4
• /
• pp.472-481
• /
• 2017

Purpose: The purpose of this study were to compare working condition, socioeconomic status, and health status between elderly and non-elderly workers and to examine the influencing factors of health status according to age groups. Methods: This study is a secondary analysis of data extracted from the 2014 Korean Working Conditions Survey. For the present analysis, 15,980 elderly workers over the age of 55 and 32,037 non-elderly workers under the age of 55 were selected. Results: The prevalence of subjective unhealthy status and poor mental health were significantly higher among the elderly workers than the non-elderly workers. The elderly workers were more likely to have lower level of education and income than the non-elderly workers. They also reported less support from colleagues and managers, however, have more decision authority. Among the elderly workers, long working hours, awkward posture, physical environmental risks, quantitative demand, decision authority, social support, age discrimination, education level, and income level were significant predictors of subjective health status or mental health. Conclusion: For keeping elderly workers healthy and productive, work environment needs to become more age-friendly. An age-friendly workplace may include: accommodative support, workers' participation, minimization of environment risk, etc.

• Journal of Family Resource Management and Policy Review
• /
• v.19 no.3
• /
• pp.81-99
• /
• 2015

This study investigates the balance between work and family, and the happiness of married working women who have preschool-aged children. Data were collected from 321 questionnaires that consisted of three parts: 1) basic demographic variables, 2) family-life variables, and 3) working-life variables. SPSS 21.0 was used for the statistical analysis. The variables that were identified to have a statistically significant impact on the balance between work and family were income, age of first child, time spent on housework and childcare on weekdays, time spent on housework on weekends, family-friendly service in the workplace and flexibility of work schedule. 2) The variables that were identified to have a statistically significant impact on happiness were age, income, time spent on housework on weekends, satisfaction with spouse's participation in housework and childcare, average working time, family-fiendly service in the workplace, flexibility of work schedule, and balance between work and family. The majority of the variables that influence balance between work and family, and happiness related to aspects of work, such as family-fiendly service, flexibility of work schedules, and average working time. The results also found that the load of housework and childcare on weekends is a heavy burden for working women. Further research needs to focus on developing the extending index of happiness including the measure of balance between work and life. In addition, further studies with more varied groups need to be conducted.

• Journal of Families and Better Life
• /
• v.24 no.2 s.80
• /
• pp.107-118
• /
• 2006

Much research has focused on the conflict and balance between work and family. Yet few studies examine how women feel in balancing these two roles. In that regard, this study examines how married working women feel balanced between work and family as well as the levels of support availability/demand that exists. The level of sense of balance regarding work-family is average. Sense of balance is related to age, income, work hours, size of workplace, numbers of family friendly policies, the family's attitude to woman's work, and the level of balancing strategies used. The demand for support is higher than the availability of support. Both factors are related to working hours and balancing strategies, etc.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
• /
• v.23 no.4
• /
• pp.396-407
• /
• 2023

Background: This study investigated the awareness and utilization of maternity protection and work-family balance support policies among dental hygienists in dental hospitals and clinics. Methods: We surveyed 200 dental hygienists. Twenty-two who did not meet the inclusion criteria were excluded, leaving 178 participants for analysis. The self-administered 48-item questionnaire gathered information on demographics, workplace details, policy awareness, government knowledge, and suggestions for improvement. Results: Awareness of maternity and family support programs significantly differed with age, marital status, number of children, and clinical experience. Dental hygienists in general hospitals and university hospitals reported greater ease of utilizing these policies compared to those in dental clinics. Among the participants, 27.7% took pre- and post-maternity leave, 26.6% took parental leave, 16.9% had reduced working hours during pregnancy, 15.8% had reduced working hours during childhood,and 8.5% during family leave. To promote program uptake, participants suggested mandatory implementation across workplaces (68.4%), expanded support for substitute workers (48.6%), and increased education and promotion of government support (42.4%). Conclusion: While most dental hygienists were aware of the Maternity Protection and Work-Family Balance Assistance Policy, utilizing it proved challenging due to several factors. Organizational policies or practices may not fully implement this policy, while workplace culture could discourage its use. Unfair treatment and the lack of available substitutes further hindered access. To prevent career interruptions for dental hygienists due to pregnancy, childbirth, childcare, and family care, and to maintain career continuity, the dental community and government should establish a multifaceted social support system. This system should prioritize several key areas: strengthening policy promotion, fostering a family-friendly atmosphere, improving management and supervision of policy implementation and developing a robust support system for substitute personnel.