英文摘要 |
In the era of dual income, the responsibility traditionally shouldered solely by women for childbearing and childcare has gradually shifted. Men are also able to care for children at home or provide intergenerational care. Meanwhile, the issue of declining birth rates is prevalent worldwide. Taiwan has the lowest birth rate globally, with an annual birth rate of only 1.1 person. In 2003, the government implemented unpaid parental leave, followed by 60% paid parental leave in 2008. In the beginning of 2022, amendments to the Employment Insurance Act relaxed the regulations related to parental leave, allowing both parents to apply for unpaid parental leave simultaneously from their employers. According to data from the Bureau of Labor Insurance under the Ministry of Labor, the rate of men applying for parental leave significantly increased after the amendment, rising from an average of approximately 18% in previous years to 29% in March 2022. However, this rate is still far lower than the 80% application rate among women. Parental leave remains a significant challenge for women, and businesses face challenges related to operating costs and ethical considerations. The implementation of parental leave varies for businesses based on industry, scale, and operational nature. What are the strategies and challenges faced by businesses in response to parental leave? This study, based on Human Capital Theory and Work-Family Conflict Theory, analyzes strategies from Japan and Canada. The research primarily adopts qualitative interviews supplemented by secondary statistics. Interviews were conducted with seven top-level executives. The research findings reveal that 53.1% of businesses have clearly stated parental leave policies, allowing leave for up to two years. However, only 17% of businesses have had employees apply for parental leave. Additionally, over 53% of businesses stated they would adhere to regulations, yet there were cases of non-compliance. Businesses face challenges in terms of flexible adjustment of working hours during parental leave. The study shows that the most significant challenge lies in the handover and rearrangement of personnel upon return to work. In terms of parental leave promotion, most businesses adopt a 'do-nothing' strategy. Higher-tech and professional-level businesses tend to adopt a 'reactive' strategy. A few might employ 'developmental' or 'interactive' strategies. Therefore, the government, in promoting parental leave and subsidies, should consider the size, turnover, capital, industry type, and nature of work in the industry. It should also take into account employees' human capital factors(such as gender, education level, and professional skills)or age factors. A deep understanding of the actual situation in small and medium-sized enterprises and micro-enterprises is necessary to plan comprehensive strategies for win-win situations for both labor and management. |