Männer.MINT.CARE Status Quo: Work-life balance in STEM companies in Austria
The aim of the ‘Männer.MINT.Care’ project is to develop practical approaches for improving the reconciliation of paid and unpaid work in STEM companies based on research findings. As a first step, an Austria-wide quantitative survey and a literature review were conducted to provide a basis for further work packages planned in the ‘Männer.MINT.Care’ project.
The aim of the survey was to record the working conditions and (non-)established measures relating to work-life balance in Austrian STEM companies. The target group for the survey was therefore people who currently work or have worked in a STEM company in Austria in the last three years. In order to cover different perspectives, managers, HR managers, works council members and employees were all included. Among the group of employees, additional information was collected on care responsibilities and the use of work time interruptions or work time changes. Overall, the aim is to record the status quo in various STEM areas.
Specifically, the research focused on the following questions:
- What are the working conditions (especially working hours and place of work) for employees in STEM companies? How much do employees work?
- Are there gender differences in the use of leave or changes in working hours in the context of care responsibilities?
- How do companies deal with reconciling work and family life? Are there specific measures in place to improve the compatibility of unpaid and paid work?
- How does the company deal with care responsibilities? Have there been any experiences of discrimination or disadvantages due to care responsibilities for children or relatives?
- What role does the works council play in relation to the reconciliation of unpaid and paid work? How is it informed and involved?