Work-life balance
Combining a demanding career and a family life is the daunting challenge many working mothers face. Employers are now responding to their needs with family-friendly policies.
A growing number of corporations have come to acknowledge the important benefits of a family-oriented employment policy – not only for employees, but for the company itself as well. After all, employees with a healthy work-life-balance are more content and thus more creative and committed. They tend to take fewer sick leaves and change employers much less frequently. Companies with family-friendly employment policies are also more attractive to top candidates.
"Sought-after top graduates, in particular, select employers who allow for both – achieving professional goals and satisfying family needs. For many, a challenging job and career opportunities aren't enough any more," says Thomas Eichelmann, member of the Global Executive Committee at Roland Berger Strategy Consultants. A family-oriented employment policy makes modern companies stand out from the rest.
A growing number of corporations have come to acknowledge the important benefits of a family-oriented employment policy – not only for employees, but for the company itself as well. After all, employees with a healthy work-life-balance are more content and thus more creative and committed. They tend to take fewer sick leaves and change employers much less frequently. Companies with family-friendly employment policies are also more attractive to top candidates.
"Sought-after top graduates, in particular, select employers who allow for both – achieving professional goals and satisfying family needs. For many, a challenging job and career opportunities aren't enough any more," says Thomas Eichelmann, member of the Global Executive Committee at Roland Berger Strategy Consultants. A family-oriented employment policy makes modern companies stand out from the rest.
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The demographic development is another reason for the growing importance attached to the notion of family. While the population is aging, the number of employees is in decline. According to a report by the advisory council of the German Federal Economics Ministry, the age group of potential employees will shrink by just under 8 million over the next 20 years.
For this reason companies cannot afford to lose good employees to competitors or keep away qualified female employees our of executive positions just because they may want to have children. Society as a whole also needs to accept the fact that it is possible to have both professional success and a fulfilling family life. Therefore, the labor market's development toward more family-friendliness is also receiving political support.
Other European countries have demonstrated that it is indeed possible to raise children and work at the same time for years. In Denmark, Norway and the Netherlands, the number of working women is higher than in Germany. These countries' birth rates are also above the German average. While Germany's employment ratio for women amounts to 66.1% (2004), this figure comes to 69.2% in the Netherlands, 75.7% in Norway and 76.1% in Denmark.
For this reason companies cannot afford to lose good employees to competitors or keep away qualified female employees our of executive positions just because they may want to have children. Society as a whole also needs to accept the fact that it is possible to have both professional success and a fulfilling family life. Therefore, the labor market's development toward more family-friendliness is also receiving political support.
Other European countries have demonstrated that it is indeed possible to raise children and work at the same time for years. In Denmark, Norway and the Netherlands, the number of working women is higher than in Germany. These countries' birth rates are also above the German average. While Germany's employment ratio for women amounts to 66.1% (2004), this figure comes to 69.2% in the Netherlands, 75.7% in Norway and 76.1% in Denmark.
Aside from part-time contracts and job-sharing models, sufficient child-care facilities are a prerequisite for mothers – and fathers – to reconcile family and working life. In Germany, these are still hard to find, though. Companies have therefore taken to support their staff's efforts to find child care. Beruf & Familie gGmbH in Frankfurt, an initiative of the non-profit Hertie Foundation, has created the "Beruf & Familie" - work and family - certificate. Companies striving for this certificate initially have to undergo several months of auditing. Existing actions are assessed and new company-specific solutions are developed, for example introducing flexible working time models, setting up home offices or sensitizing executives to their staff's family needs.
"The audit triggers a continuing process and commits the company to further developing family-friendly employment policies," says Stefan Becker, managing director of Beruf & Familie gGmbH.
This article by Dr. Inken Heeb, Roland Berger Strategy Consultants PR Advisor, was first published on Oktober 5, 2005 in the Handelsblatt in its original language, German.
If you have questions or comments, please do not hesitate to contact us:
"The audit triggers a continuing process and commits the company to further developing family-friendly employment policies," says Stefan Becker, managing director of Beruf & Familie gGmbH.
This article by Dr. Inken Heeb, Roland Berger Strategy Consultants PR Advisor, was first published on Oktober 5, 2005 in the Handelsblatt in its original language, German.
If you have questions or comments, please do not hesitate to contact us:
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