Japan Inc discovers family values: Poll

Tokyo, May 20: Long known for imposing punishing work schedules that leave employees with little time for home life, Japanese corporations are discovering the value of family-friendly policies, a newspaper poll showed today.

About 93 per cent of 400 companies surveyed by the Nikkei financial daily said helping employees balance work and family life was beneficial to their business, because it boosted motivation and helped them retain talented staff.

That compares with less than 50 per cent who saw such policies as a benefit in a similar survey in 2005.

Almost 55 per cent of companies said male staff had taken child-care leave, compared with less than 25 percent in the previous survey.

The about-face will be welcomed by government officials concerned about a labour shortage and difficulties funding the country's rising pensions bill due to a dearth of children.

A law passed two years ago requires companies to offer support enabling employees to balance work and home life, the Nikkei said.

Almost 90 per cent of the companies surveyed said they were making efforts to reduce working hours, many setting clear rules on overtime and training managers to oversee out-of-hours work.

''We believe cutting unnecessary overtime will lead to an increase in efficiency and productivity,'' the paper quoted an official at Canon Inc.'s personnel department as saying.

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co launched a system allowing white-collar employees to work from home this spring, to make it easier for them to care for children and elderly relatives, the paper said.

REUTERS>