How European women and men use their time?−The Cinderella effect
Cracow 21st October 2011
‘Mechanisms for reconciling work and family life for women and men as a chance to actively participate in the labour market’
Maija Lyly-Yrjänäinen, Eurofound
Outline of the presentationOutline of the presentation
• Findings from the 5th European Working Conditions Survey Paid working time for men and women Working time arrangements Balancing between work and family Unpaid working hours
• Some conclusions based on the 2010 survey data
Paid working hours in European countriesPaid working hours in European countries
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
EL
RO
BG PL
SK
CZ
HU SI
MT
CY LT LV PT
EE LU ES
EU
27 SE FI
BE IT AT
DE
UK
FR IE DK NL
Working time of households with at least one Working time of households with at least one partner working – breadwinner models partner working – breadwinner models
0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%
Czec
h Re
publ
icSl
ovak
iaSl
oven
iaLi
thua
nia
Cypr
usFi
nlan
dBu
lgar
iaD
enm
ark
Fran
ceH
unga
ryPo
rtug
alEs
toni
aPo
land
Latv
iaSw
eden
Spai
n EUIta
lyG
reec
eBe
lgiu
mLu
xem
bour
gRo
man
iaG
erm
any
Aust
riaU
nite
d Ki
ngdo
mIre
land
Mal
taN
ethe
rland
s
both partners work fulltime male breadwinner female breadwinner
Majority have standard working hoursMajority have standard working hours− women more often than men − women more often than men
• 67% work the same hours every week• 58% work the same hours every day• 77% work the same days every week• 61% start and finish the work at the same times every day
Some work in atypical mannerSome work in atypical manner− this might create work life balance problems− this might create work life balance problems
• 19% have long days at least 4 times a month• 10% do night work at least 4 times a month• 53% work at the weekend at least once a month• 17% do shift work 20% work on call
Working time arrangements at the workplaceWorking time arrangements at the workplace
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Men
Women
Setting of the working time
They are set by the company / organisation
You can choose between several fixed working schedules
You can adapt your working hours within certain limits
Your working hours are entirely determined by yourself
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Men
Women
Possibility to take few hours off at short notice
Not difficult at all Not too difficult Somewhat difficult Very difficult
Good fit between working hours and social Good fit between working hours and social commitments by countrycommitments by country
0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%
100%
DK NL SE FI AT RO UK IE PL SK BE CY PT LU DE
EU27 M
T EE FR HU BG CZ LT ES IT SI LV EL
Male Female
Fit between working hours and private commitments Fit between working hours and private commitments
Which elements contribute? Which elements contribute? • Individual and household characteristics
Compared to single parents, workers who do not have children are more likely to have balance
• Working time features Likely to have balance: part-time work, flexibility in working time
arrangements, working the same hours every day, having fixed starting and finishing times, not difficult to take time off during working hours
Not likely to have balance: working long hours, night work, evening work and weekend work
Working in free time by gender and household situationWorking in free time by gender and household situation
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
No children in thehousehold
Children in thehousehold
No children in thehousehold
Children in thehousehold
Men
W
omen
Nearly every day Once or tw ice a w eek Once or tw ice a month Less often Never
Total working hours by age and genderTotal working hours by age and gender
• Hours spent in main and second job, commuting and unpaid work
010203040506070
Male Female Male Female Male Female
under 35 35-49 50+
Age
Total working hours by household compositionTotal working hours by household composition
01020304050607080
single, nokids
singleparent
couple,no kids
couplewithkid(s)
single, nokids
singleparent
couple,no kids
couplewithkid(s)
Men Women
Unpaid working hours Commuting time Hours worked in job(s)
Some conclusions – How to achieve better balance?Some conclusions – How to achieve better balance?• Providing support for those who have caring responsibilities
Parents have the biggest difficulty in striking the balance As Europeans are ageing also other caring work will increase
• Working time arrangements have a significant impact Part-time working and avoiding long hours would help … However
prolonged part-time working penalises in terms of income and career Flexibility but also predictability
• Country differences: the role of culture and institutions • Towards gender equality
More equal sharing of both the breadwinner burden, and household and caring work