Monitoring and Tasks of Work-Life Balance Support Policies

Abstract

This study was conducted to review and monitor whether the work-life balance policies have been properly implemented as per the purpose of the Basic Plan for Low Fertility and Aging Society, which was initiated as a response to the low birth rate and aging society. Monitoring was consisted of three methods: data analysis, expert evaluation, and in-depth interviews. By summarizing the monitoring results on the work-family balance policy, small businesses were found to be very limited in their awareness, utilization, and use of the system. In particular, this trend was particularly plain in the companies with less than 5 employees, which is probably due to exceptions in the legislation. However, even the companies with less than 5 employees should observe the law for protection of pregnant women, reduced working hours during pregnancy, maternity leave, and parental leave. In other words, even though the work-family balance support system related to pregnancy/childbirth and care should be applied even to companies with less than 5 employees, they seem to be lack of awareness, utilization, and monitoring thereof. As for policy implications, measures were presented for improvement of work-life balance policy monitoring and related businesses. First of all, among the monitoring improvement measures, suggestions were on the performance management improvement, performance indicators improvement directions, organizational restructuring of Presidential Committee on Aging Society and Population Policy for efficient performance management, setup of a regular evaluation system experienced by the public, improvement plans for project monitoring evaluation items, and build-up of data to identify blind spots in the family reconciliation support system. Next, as for business improvement, measures were proposed to improve monitoring business according to the characteristics of companies, to nurture human resources and network for SMEs, and to prepare publicity measures for work-life balance policy for SMEs.