Effects of Work-life Balance Policies on Corporate Performance and the Promotion of Female Employee

Abstract

Based on a survey conducted among Japanese pharmaceutical companies, this study analyzes the processes and influence of work-life balance policies on the promotion of women employees and corporate performance as a result of women’s activities. Structural equation modeling is used to clarify the complex causality between the promotion of women employees and personnel policies. The results of our analysis indicate that even if the complex relationships among the variables are considered, productive improvements from work-life balance policies are not observed. Although work-life balance policies do not have a direct effect on the promotion or wages of women, they have an indirect effect on women’s promotions and wage increases over the length of their tenure.