P&G Korea runs employee benefit programs that support childbirth, child-rearing and family care regardless of marital status or family structure. Rather than setting eligibility based on legal marriage, the company has extended childbirth and child-rearing support to partners, including those living together without being married.
The company has operated its "Share the Care" program since 2021, P&G Korea said on the 30th. Employees who give birth receive a total of 104 days of maternity leave, and if a gap emerges between government subsidies and an employee's ordinary wage during the statutory leave period, the company covers the difference.
Eligibility for spouse's childbirth leave is set more broadly than legal family ties. Eight weeks of paid leave is available not only to biological fathers but also to adoptive fathers and live-in partners. Employees who register a partner receive family event allowances on the same terms, regardless of whether they are married. Employees returning from childbirth or parental leave are supported in moving back into the roles they want without career penalties.
Corporate work-family programs have been expanding as more men take part in child-rearing. Men accounted for 38.8% of recipients of parental leave benefits in the first half of this year, according to the Ministry of Employment and Labor. Following the introduction of a 10 a.m. start-time option for parents of young children, related rules were further strengthened from the 18th of this month, with the creation of miscarriage and stillbirth leave for spouses and a wider window for spouses to take childbirth leave (paternity-type leave).
P&G Korea also lets employees choose working hours and time off flexibly based on their own circumstances. It operates flexible work arrangements including remote work and core-hours scheduling, and provides five days of paid flexible leave and five days of paid sick leave separately from standard annual leave.
The flexible leave in particular can be used regardless of years of service or whether an employee is married or has children. It is designed to be used according to individual needs, covering not only family care but also self-development and volunteer work. The company also offers benefits such as stock purchase and matching programs and telecommunications subsidies.
The company runs programs aimed at improving its organizational culture as well. It has provided employee training on "six rules of conduct for an inclusive organization," held a "diversity and inclusion month" event, and run programs to raise psychological safety within the organization through leadership training and other means. In December last year, it took part as a private-sector keynote speaker at the 7th Balanced Personnel Management Performance Sharing Conference hosted by the Ministry of Personnel Management, where it presented its human resources strategy and cases based on equality and inclusion (E&I).
"Family structures, ways of life and the support each person needs can all differ," a P&G Korea human resources official said. "Rather than applying uniform standards, we will keep developing our programs and organizational culture so that we respect each person's situation and create an environment where anyone can continue both work and life while making the most of their abilities."
