UK working mom urges flextime to empower mid-career Korean women

Elspeth Stewart, leader of the Empower program, delivers remarks after winning the Award for Personal Contribution at the British Chamber of Commerce in Korea (BCCK) Business Awards in Seoul, May 30. Courtesy of BCCK

When Elspeth Stewart arrived in Korea three years ago, what struck her most was how discussions around family rarely include fathers and how central golf is to work culture here. She was surprised by working women who cook, get their children ready, work full days and then do the housework in the evening while men engage in "social rituals" such as golf and after-work drinking.

Since her arrival in Korea, she has led the Empower program Korea to support the professional advancement of mid-career women here.

Co-organized by the British Embassy and the British Chamber of Commerce in Korea (BCCK), the program has offered a platform for knowledge exchange, shared experiences and insights, as well as networking with industry professionals from prominent British firms in Korea.

"Despite having the highest academic achievement levels, Korean women face the widest gender pay gap and one of the most persistent glass ceilings," the consultant working with the BCCK said during an interview after winning the Award for Personal Contribution from the chamber.

She emphasized that the status quo is unsustainable in Korea, considering it has the lowest birthrate among OECD countries and a steep employment "M-curve" — where women exit mid-career and return later to lower-paid roles.

"Flexible working must be part of Korea’s national dialogue," Stewart said.

She shared her personal experience of having an 11-year career break to raise her children. Stewart said her professional skills remained intact and were even enriched by the new perspectives and experiences she gained during the break.

"More flexible, trusting workplaces are consistently shown to be happier, healthier and less toxic — for everyone," she said. "The man who wants to take parental leave or pick up his children might finally feel empowered to do so and stay longer with his employer as a result. The same goes for women."

Recognizing Hyundai Motor for joining the program in its second year by signing the U.N. Women’s Empowerment Principles, Stewart urged other large corporations to take the lead so that smaller companies will follow and the impact will be felt across society.

"Major corporations have a critical role to play in leading this shift," she said.

Stewart expressed disappointment at the fact that only one presidential candidate had policies specifically addressing women during Korea's recent election. She said the government should take the lead in shifting attitudes and setting the tone for a more inclusive and equitable future.

"Evidence clearly shows that diverse workplaces — across all levels — perform better," she said.

This summer, Stewart and her colleagues will introduce EmpowerDef, tailored for women working in defense industries. A program named EmpowerEd was also launched recently to provide academic and administrative staff with mentoring support from senior leaders at other institutions.