Kwon, Tae Hee (SungKyunKwan University ) The Relation between Work-Family Balance and Quality of Life for Married Women in Korea

1. Introduction 2. Definition of work-family balance and quality of life 3. The relationship between work-family and quality of life 4. Empirical analysis 5. Conclusions and limitations Contends

Problems of Korean female labor market 1. Introduction Korean women in their 30s participate in economic activities more weakly than any other age group; this poor economic participation coincides with the pregnancy and child-rearing years of women's lives * female employment rate in Korea has grown gradually from 40.7% in 1977 to 48.9% in 2007 (OECD: 58.5%) They generally find themselves in low-paying, temporary, or simple manual labor positions due to the disruption of their career path. Therefore, active support is required on the social and national level to help women continue working while taking care of their family responsibilities, including child rearing, and to promote higher quality of life.

1. Introduction The Korean government has established an institutional framework by formulating the Act on the Gender Equality Employment and Support for Work-Family Balance (enforced on June 22, 2008) and the Act on the Promotion of the Economic Activities for Career Break Women (enforced on Dec. 6, 2008) This study employs the Korean Longitudinal Survey of Women & Family data collected by the Korean Women's Development Institute for in order to evaluate the following issues First, the existing definitions of work-family balance and discussion on quality of life will be reviewed. Second, a method by which work-family balance can be assessed will be constructed on the basis of such definitions. Third, an empirical analysis will be conducted to evaluate the relationship between work-family balance and quality of life, which is expected to function as an excellent index for welfare.

2. Definition of between work-family balance and quality of life Positive role balance or “balanced life” refers to the achievement of satisfaction in all areas of an individual's life. The attainment of this state requires the allocation and use of all the resources controlled by an individual-energy and time-throughout the diverse areas of one's life (Kyrchmeyer, 2000). Another view of balance holds that role balance entails satisfactory role functions coupled with minimal role conflicts between work and family (Clark, 2000). Positive balance can be characterized as the fair distribution of attention to diverse role functions, Whereas negative balance refers to a condition in which attention is inequitably distributed among roles. This study is based on the following definition of work-family balance: the extent of equitable involvement in or equitable satisfaction from both work and family responsibilities. Work-family balance is inclusive of both positive and negative balance.

3. The relationship between work-family and quality of life (1)Time balance: time dedicated equitably to work and family responsibilities (2)Involvement balance: equitable psychological involvement in work and family roles (3)Satisfaction balance: the equitable satisfaction level that individuals get from work and family responsibilities. This study asserts that high expenditures of time and high levels of involvement for work-family balance can moderate role conflicts between work and family, reduce strain, and ultimately increase quality of life for individuals.

Hypothesis 2 The relationship between work-family balance and quality of life is stronger among individuals with high total time spent than those with low total time spent. Quality of life is higher among individuals enjoying a time balance between work and family.. Hypothesis 1 The relationship between work-family balance and quality of life is stronger among individuals more involved with work and family roles than in those less involved. Quality of life is higher among individuals with involvement balance. Hypothesis 3 The relationship between work-family balance and quality of life is stronger among individuals who are satisfied with their roles at work and in the family than those who are not. Quality of life is higher among individuals whose satisfaction is balanced between work and family.

4. Empirical analysis 1) Time Balance 1) Time Balance Work hours and housework hours were used to determine the work-family time balance. Total time is an aggregate of work hours and housework hours. Work hours and housework hours were used to determine the work-family time balance. Total time is an aggregate of work hours and housework hours. * Time balance refers to the discrepancy between work hours and housework hours, and a balance coefficient is estimated for each of the following situations: work hours are longer than housework hours; work hours are equal to housework hours; work hours are shorter than housework hours. In this study, such variables are defined in terms of the time balance coefficient. Zero scores represent balance, because the time dedicated to work and to the family are exactly the same. * Time balance refers to the discrepancy between work hours and housework hours, and a balance coefficient is estimated for each of the following situations: work hours are longer than housework hours; work hours are equal to housework hours; work hours are shorter than housework hours. In this study, such variables are defined in terms of the time balance coefficient. Zero scores represent balance, because the time dedicated to work and to the family are exactly the same. 2) Involvement Balance Questions related closely to the definition of work involvement and family involvement was selected to construct an index for the concept of balance. Questions related closely to the definition of work involvement and family involvement was selected to construct an index for the concept of balance. * Total involvement was defined as the sum of work involvement and family involvement. The higher the total involvement is, the higher the work involvement and/or the higher the family involvement will be. * Total involvement was defined as the sum of work involvement and family involvement. The higher the total involvement is, the higher the work involvement and/or the higher the family involvement will be. 1) Time Balance 1) Time Balance Work hours and housework hours were used to determine the work-family time balance. Total time is an aggregate of work hours and housework hours. Work hours and housework hours were used to determine the work-family time balance. Total time is an aggregate of work hours and housework hours. * Time balance refers to the discrepancy between work hours and housework hours, and a balance coefficient is estimated for each of the following situations: work hours are longer than housework hours; work hours are equal to housework hours; work hours are shorter than housework hours. In this study, such variables are defined in terms of the time balance coefficient. Zero scores represent balance, because the time dedicated to work and to the family are exactly the same. * Time balance refers to the discrepancy between work hours and housework hours, and a balance coefficient is estimated for each of the following situations: work hours are longer than housework hours; work hours are equal to housework hours; work hours are shorter than housework hours. In this study, such variables are defined in terms of the time balance coefficient. Zero scores represent balance, because the time dedicated to work and to the family are exactly the same. 2) Involvement Balance Questions related closely to the definition of work involvement and family involvement was selected to construct an index for the concept of balance. Questions related closely to the definition of work involvement and family involvement was selected to construct an index for the concept of balance. * Total involvement was defined as the sum of work involvement and family involvement. The higher the total involvement is, the higher the work involvement and/or the higher the family involvement will be. * Total involvement was defined as the sum of work involvement and family involvement. The higher the total involvement is, the higher the work involvement and/or the higher the family involvement will be.

3) Satisfaction Balance used to estimate the work-family balance are total satisfaction and satisfaction balance. used to estimate the work-family balance are total satisfaction and satisfaction balance. * Total satisfaction is then calculated via the summation of work satisfaction and family satisfaction. The higher the total is, the greater the satisfaction will be. * Total satisfaction is then calculated via the summation of work satisfaction and family satisfaction. The higher the total is, the greater the satisfaction will be. 4) Control Variables 4) Control Variables Six basic demographic and social control variables--age, wage, number of children, sector (non- service, service), education (high school or lower, junior college or higher), and business size (29 employees or less, employees, 100 employees or more) were employed. Descriptions of these variables are provided in Table 1. Six basic demographic and social control variables--age, wage, number of children, sector (non- service, service), education (high school or lower, junior college or higher), and business size (29 employees or less, employees, 100 employees or more) were employed. Descriptions of these variables are provided in Table 1. 5) Quality of Life 5) Quality of Life Pottick and Fudge (1986) used the question, "How do you feel about your present life?" to generated the dependent variable for assessments of quality of life. No such question is included in the data set of this study. Pottick and Fudge (1986) used the question, "How do you feel about your present life?" to generated the dependent variable for assessments of quality of life. No such question is included in the data set of this study. * used as proxy variables and three related questions * used as proxy variables and three related questions 4. Empirical analysis

Estimation method Estimation method Hierarchical regression analysis : Stage 1 Basis analysis with controlled demographic characteristic var. Stage 2 Add to Total time, Total involvement, Total satisfaction Stage 3 Add to Time balance, Involvement balance, Satisfaction balance Stage 4 Add Tt*Tb, Ti*Ib, Ts*Sb WFB Time Quality of Life WFB Involvement WFB Satisfaction

Analytical results: Time Balance Analytical results: Time Balance *** p<0.01, **p<0.05, *p<0.1 R R square Adjusted R square N=1,502

Analytical results: Involvement Balance Analytical results: Involvement Balance *** p<0.01, **p<0.05, *p<0.1 R R square Adjusted R square 0.1 N=1,502

Analytical results: Satisfaction Balance Analytical results: Satisfaction Balance *** p<0.01, **p<0.05, *p<0.1 R R square Adjusted R square N=1,502

lower total time positively affect quality of life. time balance yielded statistically significant results Time Involvement 5. Conclusion and Limitations Satisfaction lower total satisfaction reduce quality of life satisfaction balance yielded statistically significant. greater work involvement is likely to positively affects quality of life involvement balance yielded statistically significant

LimitationsLimitations First, successive studies are required to objectives and verify the methods used in this study, as there are currently no accepted standard measures for work and family balance. Second, the data used for this study was cross-sectional data collected in the first Korean Longitudinal Survey on Women and Family. Therefore, even though it was strongly suggested that the three measures of work-family balance are causally related to quality of life, a longitudinal study will be required to shed further light on the causal relationship between work-family balance and quality of life. A parallel effort should be made with the second Korean Longitudinal Survey on Women & Family to include new questions, most notably more questions related to quality of life, time spent together with family members (spouse, children, relatives, etc.) aside from housework hours, and time spent playing diverse other roles (leisure activities, self-development, volunteering activities, etc.), as well as the level of satisfaction derived from these roles by individuals.