Research on a sustainable work-life balance

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

Focusing on the desirable work life balance (WLB) from the viewpoints of both firms and workers, this research project mainly carried out three studies, 1) Cost-effectiveness of firms WLB practices, 2) Gap between desirable and actual work hours of firms and workers, 3) Employment flexibility and the WLB of non-regular employees. Specifically, the following findings were obtained: WLB practices could improve firm's productivity depending on firm's characteristics; Some of the long work hours of Japanese employees are based on firm's rational behavior, but some should be regarded as inefficient; Non-regular employees may have found it difficult to achieve their WLB; and the structure of volunteer labor supply may have been changed just after the East Japan Earthquake.