The telecommunication development in the information age has enabled people to communicate by computers and exchange information through the network. This trend has changed our life style in some areas, and one of the major changes is that it has beco...
The telecommunication development in the information age has enabled people to communicate by computers and exchange information through the network. This trend has changed our life style in some areas, and one of the major changes is that it has become possible for people to conduct their work at home.
While female workforce is ever increasing nowadays, the telecommuting system provides the opportunity for women workers to continue their work after their marriage. Flexibility in choosing the work hours is surely the merit of the telecommuting system. On the other hand, however, they are often faced with conflicting requirements that they have to conduct their work and meet the needs of their family in the same space and at the same time. This could give rise to role conflicts and could hinder them from implementing either role effectively. In Korea some large and small companies have already adopted the telecommuting system for married women, and recently public service sector is also introducing this sytem. This accounts for the increasing trend of telecommuting system in our society. With the expectation of enhanced job efficiency and workers’ satisfaction, it is forecasted that the telecommuting system for married women will be remarkably popularized in the future.
This study aims to understand married women’s life style by analyzing their use of living space and time before we identify the layout of the living space suitable for married women telecommuters. It also identified the problems in their living space and the areas requiring improvement to accommodate the telecommuting system. The previous studies touched on the cases of foreign countries, but they differ from our living spaces in structure and size. Therefore it aims to provide realistic alternatives based on the apartments which are the most typical type of residence in Korea.
Through the case study and analysis on the residential life, this study presents how the working space should be designed as differentiated from the living space. First, the living space should be laid out from the standpoint of maximizing functional efficiency of space. On the other hand, the working space should be designed from the standpoint of privacy where workers can concentrate on their work, not being disturbed by other members of the family, and from the standpoint of efficient compartmenting, by which they can fully utilize the limited space. This study will help design and create the space that will meet the needs of married women telecommuters and eventually bring satisfaction in their living and job performance.