A new study has found that the number of parents with flexible work arrangements in South Korea is just one-third of that observed in major European countries — a shortfall experts say may be hampering efforts to combat the country’s record-low birthrate.
The research, published by Dr. Jung Sung-mi of the Korean Women’s Development Institute on Wednesday, reveals just how far behind Korea is when it comes to giving employees with young children real control over their schedules. The study focuses on parents of children under six and compares South Korea with 15 European Union countries.
Across all company sizes, just 21.9 percent of Korean women and 17.9 percent of men raising young children enjoy flexible work setups — such as remote work or adjustable hours — compared to over 60 percent of women and nearly 58 percent of men in the EU. That’s roughly a threefold gap for both men and women.
The disparity grows when broken down by company size. In small firms (under 10 employees), usage in Korea falls to around 20 percent for women and 16 percent for men, while EU averages sit near 45 percent for both. Even among larger firms (more than 250 employees), flexibility reaches only 33.6 percent of Korean women — still well below the 69 percent seen in Europe.
What’s considered “flexible work” here isn’t just having remote options. The study also focused on systems where employees can choose their hours — when they start, when they finish, or whether they work from home. That level of autonomy is rare in Korea.
Over 80 percent of Korean full-time workers said their schedules are entirely controlled by their employer, nearly 20 percentage points higher than the European average.
Those employed by small businesses struggle the most. Just 13.5 percent of workers in small firms have access to flexible systems, compared to 41.5 percent in companies with over 100 workers.
Flexibility also pays off for businesses
Flexible work could be useful for both families and the economy, the study found. Korean companies that introduced these systems in 2021 saw an average 3.6 percent increase in employment — and the boost was strongest (6.3 percent) in smaller firms. The research notes that these gains suggest flexibility isn’t just about personal convenience; it may also be a practical business strategy, especially for smaller enterprises navigating a tight labor market.
The study also found that flexible work has a stronger link to the decision to have children than cash incentives or traditional family benefits. Employees — especially women — who had the freedom to work remotely, set their own hours, or work fewer than 32 hours a week were significantly more likely to plan for more children.
“In a society where time has become a luxury for working families,” Jung said, “policies that return control over time to employees may do more to raise birthrates than any financial subsidy ever could.”
mjh@heraldcorp.com
