Gender And Work-Life Balance

Did you know that Ireland ranks third in Europe for the highest weekly hours of unpaid work for both men and women? In fact, women spend twice as much time on caring responsibilities than men, impacting significantly on their work-life balance, financial independence, and career progression.

inclusio, in partnership with Ulster University, have assessed three years of inclusio scientific data on organisational culture from employees across Ireland and globally, revealing that after becoming fathers, men see a slight enhancement in their work-life balance with a 1% increase. Conversely, women experience a decline of 6% in work-life balance after becoming mothers.

Furthermore, the gender gap in work-life balance widens even further for those caring for dependent adults, with men experiencing a slight improvement of 1.6% and women facing a substantial decline of 8.4%.

These findings underscore the need for organisations in Ireland to address gender-specific challenges and promote a more equitable and inclusive workplace environment. By implementing targeted strategies that support working parents, particularly women, we can achieve greater gender equality at work and improve well-being for all caregivers.

It's time to take action and support those with caring responsibilities to promote a better work-life balance, career progression, and financial independence, especially for working mothers. Let's work towards a more balanced and inclusive workplace environment.

- Barry, D (2024) 'Gender and Work-Live Balance, inclusio insights, 5th March 2024.