KWDI Korean Women’s Development Institute

Abstract

 

A gender-sensitive analysis of government projects in culture and tourism and its implications for improving their efficiency

 

Young-Sook Kim

Hyo-Joo Kim Kiwon Hong

Byeong-Kwon Kim

Ju-Yeon Jeong

 

‘Act on the promotion of creation of family-friendly social environment’ in accordance with Article 15, the Family-friendly Certification System, introduced in 2008, has been 10 years since its implementation. This system grants family-friendly certification to exemplary companies that run the family-friendly system. The system started with 14 companies in 2008 and increased to 2,802 companies in 2017 and aims to achieve 3,300 companies in 2018. In particular, the current government is pushing for "proliferation of family-friendly management of companies" as a major national task while augmenting the policy range from work-family reconciliation to work-life balance. When the first family-friendly certification system was introduced 10 years ago, although mandatory, the maternity leave and child-care leave system has not been properly abided. However, the demand for work-life balance is increasing from work-focused life to a life with a rest. So far, the adoption and diffusion of family-friendly certification system was based on the focusing on the protection of maternity and child-care. Now, it is necessary to enhance and change the purpose and direction of the family-friendly certification system along with social changes.

 

The purpose of this study is to examine the performance and limitations of family-friendly certification system and to offer improvement for the effective system in accordance with the needs of companies. Regarding this purpose, this study analyzed the literature and related materials about the family-friendly certification system, and conducted FGI(Focused Group Interview) from consultants, certification authorities, and corporates’ HR managers and interviewed experts of the system and department officials.

 

As a result, for the short-term, this study proposed improvement of certification standards and indicators of the system which is reflecting social changes and requirements, reviewed incentives thoroughly and suggested more practical way of using them, and in order to improve the quality of the family-friendly certification system, suggested reform of the management system.

 

For the mid- and long-term, this study proposed a shift from ‘family-friendly’ orientation to ‘improvements of work-life balance culture’. It is necessary to focus on characteristics of small businesses and to simplify policies so that businesses and intuitively recognize benefits of the system. It is also important to offer a strong incentive for companies to follow the family-friendly certification system. To do that, it is needed to substantially improve standards, and a full-scale reform to fit social changes and demands. We have regarded these points comprehensively and suggested mid- to long-term improvements so that both companies and workers can experience the change ultimately.