Japan: WFH Boost Fathers' Household Chores and Family Engagement
A 2024 study in Japan found that WFH during COVID-19 increased married fathers' involvement in chores and family time without affecting productivity. This shift could address gender inequality by redistributing household responsibilities.
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A 2024 study in Japan reveals that working from home (WFH) during the COVID-19 pandemic led married fathers to increase their involvement in household chores, spend more time with family, and prioritize life over work without compromising productivity. This shift could help address the country's gender inequality issues stemming from traditional gender roles. Data from a survey of 984 married male workers with children under 18 showed that an extra WFH day per week increased men's housework time by 6.2% and family time by 5.6%. The research highlighted that WFH had no significant impact on work hours but positively influenced family engagement. The study emphasized that enabling fathers to WFH, especially in contexts with rigid gender norms, could lead to a more equitable distribution of household responsibilities and contribute to closing gender gaps at home while potentially boosting fertility rates.
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4 commentsIf you can figure out how to spend more time with your spouse without getting on each other’s nerves then I think it’s an overall win.
There’s something to be said about distance making the heart grow fonder. Engaging with your family for a few hours at the end of the day can feel easier than doing it the entire day. I’m not convinced that working in an office is the obvious solution for that though.
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