[ 19.6.2009, Gender Studies, o.p.s Rovné příležitosti > Trh práce ]

On 18 June, 2009, a press conference was held where journalists became acquainted with the results of Gender Studies research among working mothers with children to 10 years of age. Equal opportunities audit, offered to the companies in the Czech Republic by Gender Studies, was also introduced for the first time. The research confirmed that mothers are interested in balancing work and family, as they are in alternative work loads in particular in the period of parental leave and in using child-care facilities. Mothers were also interested in working in the period of parental leave.

Gender Studies research

Ipsos Tambor agency recently conducted research for Gender Studies among mothers of children to 10 years of age concerning personal and professional life balance. The goal of the research was to find out what perception and experience with work and family balance; to find out their experience about return from parental and maternity leave, experience with keeping in touch with employers during maternity/parental leave and at the same time to identify ideal opportunities in balancing work and family, it means to focus on the steps which mothers would welcome from employers.

Furthermore, it was necessary to find out whether informants faced discrimination in their working life.

Gender Studies will use the results of the research in particular in their work with employers – when creating programmes for balancing personal and professional life.

There were 605 informants participating in the research (350 out of Prague and others from other cities). The research was conducted on the basis of a questionnaire with 25 questions.

Research results

• Employers do not tend to hold the initiative in contact in the course of maternity and parental leave, not beyond the necessary frame.

46% of informants were contacted by their employers in the course of maternity and parental leave, but in 25% it was only once or twice and out of 54% the reason was to deal with practical formalities. The greatest percentage of non-contacted was among workers without necessary qualification and lower management, most often contacted were people of senior management and experts with university degree. Greater percentage of contacts was outside Prague than in Prague.

• Generally speaking, mothers are relatively very interested in working during parental leave.

62% of informants worked during paternal leave in some way, e.g. in a form of seasonal employment (49% of them). The greatest motivation for work were financial reasons (78% of informants) and the need not to focus one’s life only on children, and to think also about something else (50%). One third of women worked in the course of parental leave for a different employer than the one they entered parental leave from, the main reason being (60%) that it was easier to better balance work and family.

Mothers not working in the course of parental leave listed main reason being “I wanted to fully enjoy my time with a child”(58%) and “I didn’t have a child minder” (53%).

• Mothers were mostly interested in work positions offering flexi working time arrangement and description accustomed to their parenthood.

43% of informants wanted to work part time while on parental leave, 24 % less than part time and 44% work in the form of seasonal employment.

Many are interested in home office while on parental leave (46% would like to use it, 29% had the opportunity to use it); home office combined with work in the office (43% would like to use it while 21% had the opportunity to use it) and flexi time (42% would like to use it, 32 % had the opportunity to use it).

Upon returning from maternity leave, 50 per cent of informants used fixed working time but only 20% of informants wanted to use fixed working time. On the other hand, only 23% of informants could have worked flexi time, but about 54% percent were interested.

• The idea of corporate (or with company cooperating) child day-care facilities is perceived in a very positive way.

60% of informants would be interested in this kind of facility.

• There is discrimination on the basis of parenthood (often), both in case of informants and in their neighbourhood.

54% of informants felt that they have personally faced discrimination on the basis of parenthood or motherhood, 70% of informants know somebody who has been dealing with discrimination on the basis of parenthood. Women are often asked questions concerning the number of their children and child day-care opportunities at job interview (63%), not given the job (43%) and not allowed to work less than full time (35%).

Project “Employers for balancing personal and professional life”

Effective from November 2008, Gender Studies have been conducting a project Employers for balancing professional and personal life following the existing activities of Gender Studies in educating employers in the sphere of equal opportunities and informing and advising employees in balancing personal and professional life. The project targeted at the capital Prague provides wide scale of activities for employees and employers. Gender Studies wants to contribute to the development of equal opportunities of women and men on the labour market, to make return to work after parental leave easier, and to the abatement on the basis of sex.

Service for companies:

Equal opportunities audit

From the half of 2009, Gender Studies offers audit to employers evaluating corporate policies targeted at equal opportunities for women and men and balancing personal and professional life, and offering recommendations for improvement. Company going through audit gets a certificate.

Company of the year

Gender Studies is accepting applications to a next year contest for the best company with equal opportunities in the Czech Republic till June 30, 2009. For more information see www.rovneprilezitosti.ecn.cz

To the end of 2009, Gender Studies will introduce a manual how to conduct programmes for balancing personal and professional life, following the publications having been already issued for employers, e.g.: Equal opportunities as a social responsibility of companies, Costs and profits of equal opportunities fro women and men, and Equal opportunities as a competitive advantage. An electronic monthly - Equal opportunities to companies - bringing good practice from Czech and foreign companies continues being published.

Within the frame of the project, Gender Studies provides consulting for employers in the sphere of realizing programmes for balancing personal and professional life (e.g. flexible forms of work or corporate child day-care facilities) and equal opportunities for women and men.

Service for employees

Information centre providing literature and information from the area of equal opportunities for women and men is a part of the project. The centre can be visited at Gender Studies library, Gorazdova 20 on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 12 to 6 pm.

Gender Studies legal consulting for discriminated and potentially discriminated people on the basis of sex and age was extended. Apart from Tuesday (9 am -11 am) and Friday (4:30 pm -6:30 pm), people can contact us also on Wednesdays from 2 pm to 4 pm at 224 913 350 and 774 913 350. The questions can deal with discrimination on the basis of sex and age and balancing personal and professional life. The questions can be also sent to the following e-mail address: pravo@genderstudies.cz or use on-line legal consulting at http://www.rovneprilezitosti.cz/poradenstvi.php?poradna=open.

Project Employers for balancing professional and personal life is funded by European Social Fund and Prague City Hall, Prague & the EU: Investment in your future.

Prague & the EU: Investment in your future.

Contacts:

Alexandra Jachanová Doleželová, Project Manager; alexandra.jachanova@genderstudies.cz

Kateřina Dušková, Project Public Affairs; katerina.duskova@gmail.com