Men and Reconciliation of Work and Family: Supporting the Path to Gender Equal Distribution of Parental Leave and Working Time

Existing studies and surveys show the growing desire of many men to participate more than before in child-raising and care work. Practical experience shows, however, that there are many obstacles for men in the concrete realisation of their wish to take parental leave or part-time parental leave. Particularly in male-dominated sectors, there often seems to be a lack of company equality strategies. Furthermore, for many reasons, gender-specific inequalities persist in the (social and family) division of work (time).

The EU-project „Men and Reconciliation of Work and Family: Supporting the Path to Gender Equal Distribution of Parental Leave and Working Time“ (2015-2017) pursued inter alia the target to identify promoting and hindering factors for a better reconciliation of work and family for men in Austria. This EU project is supported by the European Union Program for „Rights, Equality and Union Citizenship“ (2014 – 2020).

The main objectives of the EU project were:

• Promoting gender equality through increased participation of fathers in parental leave, (parental) part-time work and (continued) care work after parental leave
• Anchoring company compatibility strategies, especially in male-dominated sectors, which allow more men to take parental leave and participate in education/care work
• Raising awareness of the positive effects of sharing parental leave and (parental) part-time work between parents in partnership at household, company and social levels

The core activities of L&R Social Research were research and development work on the question of improving the framework conditions for fathers’ participation at company and sectoral level. The central focus was on the male-dominated sectors of manufacturing, construction, transport, information and communication. L&R Social Research implemented this focus in cooperation with the participating social partners, the Chamber of Labour, the Austrian Federation of Trade Unions and the Federation of Austrian Industry. On the one hand, EU-wide framework conditions and examples of good practice were researched and introduced into the Austrian discourse; on the other hand, company case studies were carried out in male-dominated sectors throughout Austria in order to ascertain the needs of employees, companies and social partners so that the reconciliation of work and family can be improved for men at company and sectoral level. The promotion of parental leave, reconciliation-friendly working time models, models for shared working hours and parental part-time work for fathers were among the focal points. A practice-oriented handbook for companies and social partners, the development of seminars for works councils and companies, mutual learning meetings for the development of new strategies and approaches as well as the establishment of a network were concrete activities.

FORBA has already analysed ways of promoting partnership-based distribution at the household level. This formed the basis of the household income calculator developed by the Women’s Affairs and Equality Section of the BMBF as part of this project.

The various research and development activities were accompanied by extensive public relations work carried out by the Ministry of Social Affairs. In addition to classical media work, nationwide awareness and information campaigns for selected target groups in social media were planned. In addition, information materials, such as a comprehensive brochure on parental leave and parental part-time work, were developed.