紀要論文

短時間勤務制度の現状と課題

Measures to Shorten Working Hours : Their Current State and Areas of Concern

jpn

13493051

https://doi.org/10.15002/00008817

法政大学キャリアデザイン学会

10

67

84

2013-02

Version of Record

The revised Child Care and Family CareLeave Law that took effect in June 2010made employers responsible for establishingmeasures to shorten working hours (6 hoursper day in principle) for those workers raisingchild aged three years and younger, leading toan increase in the use of such measures duringthis period of child care. There is a strongneed for measures that shorten working hourswhile raising children, and more and morecompanies have even lengthened the periodduring which employees may take advantageof these measures. Measures to shortenworking hours are an alternative workingstyle necessary for balancing both work andnon-work, private-life activities such as childcare.　At the same time, however, certain issuesare starting to arise from the use of thesemeasures. First, longer validity periodswould seem to mean more employees takingadvantage of the shorter hours; how manysuch employees can a workplace handle?This concern ties in with the manpowermanagement issues in using the measures andthe working styles of those employees who donot participate. Secondly, one must considerhow lengthening the validity period will affectthe participating employeeʼs career. Thirdly,and in relation to the previous point, there arethe issues of the participating employeeʼs taskassignments and the evaluation of his or herperformance.　Measures that shorten working hours canbecome a system of work flexibility thatsupports personal matters such as child care.However, this will require a plan design andoperational features that take these realitiesinto consideration. In this paper, I examinethe issues that come with the introduction ofmeasures to shorten working hours and theactual ways in which these measures are beingutilized. In particular, I point out that a systemwherein participating employees proactivelyconsider their own career development willallow for the effective use of such measures,while also indicating the need for participantsupport at the workplace, including a modelfor task-sharing.

Article

AA11961965