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Working from home leads to more family-oriented men

Author

Listed:
  • Chihiro Inoue

    (The University of Tokyo)

  • Yusuke Ishihata

    (Duke University)

  • Shintaro Yamaguchi

    (The University of Tokyo)

Abstract

We examine how working from home (WFH) affects men’s participation in childcare and housework and their attitudes toward family. Because WFH is an endogenous decision, we apply a first-difference instrumental variable estimator, taking the degree to which one can work from home, measured at the individual level, as the instrument. We find that WFH increases the time that men spend on household chores and with family, and the fraction of men who consider life more important than work. Although WFH decreases their commuting time, we find no evidence that it reduces working hours or self-perceived productivity.

Suggested Citation

  • Chihiro Inoue & Yusuke Ishihata & Shintaro Yamaguchi, 2024. "Working from home leads to more family-oriented men," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 22(2), pages 783-829, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:reveho:v:22:y:2024:i:2:d:10.1007_s11150-023-09682-6
    DOI: 10.1007/s11150-023-09682-6
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Working from home; Gender; Family; Time use; Housework; Childcare;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply
    • J81 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor Standards - - - Working Conditions

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