The Effects of Time-Saving Technology Use on Household Time Allocation and Labor Force Participation: Evidence from Robot Vacuum Use

Abstract

In recent years, time-saving technologies that reduce the burden of housework, such as dishwashers and robot vacuums, have become increasingly widespread. These technologies may reduce housework time and increase disposable time. At the same time, they may also affect overall household time use through rising cleanliness standards and the reallocation of time to other in-home activities. Moreover, if the time saved is reallocated to market work, such technologies may also influence labor force participation. However, few studies have examined the relationship between the use of time-saving technologies, in-home time, and labor force participation using the same dataset. In particular, empirical evidence on new time-saving technologies such as robot vacuums remains limited. This study uses data from the Keio Household Panel Survey (KHPS) to examine the effects of robot vacuums use on in-home time and labor force participation. The baseline analysis employs a two-way fixed effects model, and a complementary analysis combining matching with fixed effects models is also conducted as a robustness check. The results show that the use of robot vacuums significantly reduces housework time, while it has no statistically significant effect on sleep time. Heterogeneity analysis further indicates that the reduction in housework time is mainly observed among married women. Furthermore, the results indicate a positive association between robotic vacuum cleaner use and labor force participation among married women. These findings suggest that time-saving technologies may ease married women’s time constraints by reducing the burden of housework and thereby encourage their participation in market work.