Skip to content
Eurofound Talks: The work-life challenges of women and men

News -

Eurofound Talks: The work-life challenges of women and men

Today, International Women’s Day, is an opportunity to celebrate the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women, as well as assess the progress of women in all aspects of society. Eurofound has published a special episode of the Eurofound Talks podcast to look at the work-life challenges of women and men, and in particular how gender segregation on the labour market, and gender inequalities in the division of paid and unpaid work, impede progress towards gender equality in Europe.

Gender equality is a core value of the EU and an important aspect of Eurofound’s work. Eurofound adopts a gender mainstreaming approach systematically in its research. Where possible, research findings, including surveys and policy analyses, disaggregate data by gender. Other research projects provide specific analysis relevant to gender equality.

A recent analysis of the European Working Conditions Telephone Survey, for example, highlights that women are over three times more likely to suffer from unwanted sexual attention than men at the workplace. Other recent research has highlighted the issue of persistent gender segregation in sectors, occupations and workplaces, and that only one in five workers worked in a gender-balanced workplace.

In the new episode of Eurofound Talks Mary McCaughey speaks with Eurofound Working Life researchers Jorge Cabrita and Viginta Ivaškaitė-Tamošiūnė about how, when paid and unpaid work are combined, women do eight full-time weeks more work than men per year, and the broader implications of this for society. They also discuss how indicators of work-life balance and work-life conflict differ for women and men, as well as the policy action that can be taken to improve gender equality in Europe.

Listen to the episode on the Eurofound website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also watch the recording of this episode on our YouTube page.

More information:

Topics

Categories

Contacts

James Higgins

James Higgins

Press contact Communication Officer +353-1-204-3100
Mary McCaughey

Mary McCaughey

Head of Information and Communication +353-1-204-3240

Related content

Healthcare workers report up to three times higher levels of unwanted sexual attention than the EU average.  Image: © insta_photos/Adobe Stock

Women over 3 times more likely to suffer from unwanted sexual attention than men at the workplace

Women in the EU are 3.6 times more likely to suffer from unwanted sexual attention than men, with the likelihood of a young woman (18–34 years) reporting unwanted sexual attention three times higher than men of the same age, and 10 times higher than the oldest group of men (50+ years). This problem is even more acute for frontline workers, according to the most recent data.

Eurofound Talks Job Quality

Eurofound Talks Job Quality

The new episode of Eurofound Talks looks at the issue of job quality in the modern workplace. Mary McCaughey speaks with Eurofound Head of Unit for Working Life Barbara Gerstenberger about what the EWCTS reveals about job quality, the implications of poor-quality jobs on well-being and broader society, and what policymakers can do to improve the working lives of people in Europe.

Image © Kirsten Davis/Adobe Stock

Skills alone will not solve labour shortages in Europe

Eurofound’s new report looks at measures implemented at national level to tackle labour shortages in the health, care, and information and communication technology sectors, as well as those arising from the twin green and digital transition, to assesses what works and the contextual factors supporting or hindering effective policy implementation and outcomes.

Main image: Wayde Oostendorp/Adobe Stock

Eurofound Talks: Can Europe deliver for its children?

In this episode of Eurofound Talks Mary McCaughey speaks with Eurofound Research Manager Daniel Molinuevo about the European Child Guarantee, how bad the situation is with regards to child poverty and social exclusion, what Member States have committed to doing about it, what the implications are for workers and civil society, and what prospects there are for the future.

Image: © Artem Varnitsin/Adobe Stock

Platform work can provide women with vital link to the labour market

The growth of platform work has highlighted its potential for those that require more flexible work arrangements but has also raised concerns about working conditions and exposing the vulnerability of platform workers with respect to access to safe working environments and social protection.

Eurofound, a tripartite European Union Agency, provides knowledge to assist in the development of social, employment and work-related policies

Eurofound (European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions) is a tripartite EU body, whose mission is to provide knowledge to assist in the development of better social, employment and work-related policies.

Eurofound

Wyattville Road
D18 KP65 Loughlinstown
Ireland