[U-03] Progress towards Gender Equity in Geosciences

[U03-P01] A case study of work-life balance in a dual-income family with a child with severe motor and intellectual disabilities

*Takeshi Terui¹, Mieko Terui², Keiko Iino¹, Yoshiko Nakamura³ (1.National Institute of Polar Research, 2.NTT Security, 3.Iwate University)

Keywords:Work-Life Balance, Severe Motor and Intellectual Disabilities, Working with Children, Telecommuting, Work Style Reform

A father working at the National Institute of Polar Research and a mother working at NTT Security Japan KK achieved work-life balance (WLB) while nursing their child with severe motor and intellectual disabilities (SMID). Its quantitative analysis was performed using detailed records of parents' life conditions and work records for two years to verify their WLB. The child routinely required nursing of either of his parents, who nursed while working. Nursing was performed while the father worked with the child, and the mother did telework. In order to work while raising and nursing children with SMID, there was a limit to social welfare services, so an environment where various work styles were possible at work was needed. Comparing the various working styles of parents and their employers, private companies outperformed national research institutions in many ways, including information systems and regulations. The WLB needed to reform the working environment to enable diverse work styles and indicated the need for work style reform as a management issue for national research institutions.