Work-Life Balance Revisited: Horizontal and Vertical Dimensions in an Ageing Society
Low fertility and population ageing undoubtedly constitute key demographic characteristics of contemporary developed countries. A continuous decline in fertility and an increase in human longevity has been driving down younger populations while increasing older populations, thereby raising the dependent population ratio. In particular, since population ageing leads to a shortage of the working-age population without large-scale immigration, it will inevitably jeopardise sustained economic growth, social security, and welfare system. Furthermore, from a viewpoint of intergenerational relations, a longer lifespan increases the number of adult children and older parents who coexist, regardless of household arrangements, intensifying intergenerational interdependence over the life course.
Over the past few decades, work-life balance has been recognised as a central component of pro-natalist strategies. More equal divisions of housework and childcare between a husband and wife reduce women's dual burden of domestic and market work, enhancing the possibility of their continued participation in the labour market. Reducing conflicts between gainful work and family responsibilities is therefore expected to increase the likelihood that young couples will have children. Accordingly, policies aimed at achieving a horizontal work-life balance between employment and family life have been seen as an essential measure for countries experiencing persistent low fertility.
A vertical work-life balance is also important for an ageing society. Although healthy life expectancy is extending, an ageing society intensifies older adults' need for instrumental and emotional support to maintain their health and well-being. In East Asian countries, aged parents tend to prefer family care over professional care by wage workers. In particular, looking after aged parents is regarded as a form of filial piety rooted in Confucianism. Accordingly, adult children, especially daughters, often assume the role of primary caregivers for their frail aged parents. Labour shortages in ageing societies, however, increase the necessity for spouses and adult children to remain in gainful employment. Hence, while adult children need to maintain a work-life balance in their own family lives, they have an increasingly difficulty fully engaging in caring for their aged parents. Indeed, approximately 100,000 working-age employees left their jobs in Japan in 2022 to care for elderly family members. Besides, our findings indicate that socioeconomically disadvantaged groups are particularly reliant on family care for aged parents.
While many governments have introduced policy interventions to promote horizontal work-life balance and raise fertility levels, less attention has been paid to the vertical dimension of work-life balance in ageing societies. Yet, achieving the intergenerational work-life balance between family members is also essential for older adults' health and well-being in countries undergoing population ageing. To tackle this task, it is necessary to conduct further research on family caregiving for older adults in Asian contexts.
Further Reading
Fukuda, N. (2016). Marriage and Fertility Behaviour in Japan. Singapore: Springe. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-0294-6
