Zitatform

Astinova, Diva, Mr. Romain A. Duval, Mr. Niels-Jakob H. Hansen, Ben Park, Mr. Ippei Shibata & Mr. Frederik G. Toscani (2024): Dissecting the Decline in Average Hours Worked in Europe. (IMF working papers / International Monetary Fund 2024,02), Washington, DC, 44 S.

Abstract

"Three years after the COVID-19 crisis, employment and total hours worked in Europe fully recovered, but average hours per worker did not. We analyze the decline in average hours worked across European countries and find that (i) it is not cyclical but predominantly structural, extending a long-term trend that predates COVID-19, (ii) it mainly reflects reduced hours within worker groups, not a compositional shift towards lower-hours jobs and workers, (iii) men—particularly those with young children—and youth drive this drop, (iv) declines in actual hours match declines in desired hours. Policy reforms could help involuntary parttimers and women with young children raise their actual hours towards desired levels, but the aggregate impact on average hours would be limited to 0.5 to 1.5 percent. Overall, there is scant evidence of slack at the intensive margin in European labor markets, and the trend fall in average hours worked seems unlikely to reverse." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Doorn, Lars Van & Olaf van Vliet (2024): Wishing for More: Technological Change, the Rise of Involuntary Part-Time Employment and the Role of Active Labour Market Policies. In: Journal of Social Policy, Jg. 53, H. 3, S. 751-771. DOI:10.1017/S0047279422000629

Abstract

"Technological change has squeezed the demand for middle-skill jobs, which typically involve routine-intense tasks. This squeeze has coincided with an increase in the number of part-time working individuals who wish to work more hours. We argue that these two trends are linked. Due to the decline of middle-skill employment, medium-educated workers shift into low-skill employment, increasing the supply of labor for jobs in this segment of the labor market. This pushes those dependent on these jobs to accept part-time jobs, even if these involve fewer hours than they prefer. To empirically assess this claim, we analyze involuntary part-time employment across 16 European countries between 1999 and 2010. Our analysis confirms that a decline in middle-skill employment is associated with an increase in involuntary part-time employment at the bottom end of the labor market. This finding implies that the automation of routine-intense labour worsens employment possibilities in this segment of the labor market. However, we show that training and job creation schemes mitigate this effect. These programs cushion competition either by providing medium-educated workers with the necessary skills to shift into high-skill jobs or by increasing employment possibilities. Thus, governments have the tools to support workers facing challenges in the knowledge economy." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Bick, Alexander & Kevin Bloodworth II (2023): Labor Force Participation and Hours Worked Recovery: U.S. vs. Europe. In: On the Economy Blog / Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis H. 21.12.2023.

Abstract

"The labor force participation rate in the U.S. had returned to its pre-pandemic level by 2023:Q2, but hours worked per person had not. What about in European countries?" (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Brega, Carla, Samuel Briones, Jana Javornik, Margarita León & Mara Yerkes (2023): Flexible work arrangements for work-life balance: a cross-national policy evaluation from a capabilities perspective. In: The international journal of sociology and social policy, Jg. 43, H. 13/14, S. 278-294. DOI:10.1108/IJSSP-03-2023-0077

Abstract

"Purpose: This paper aims to assess the design of national-level flexible work arrangement (FWA) policies, evaluating their potential to serve as an effective resource for employees to work flexibly depending on how they set the stage for flexibility claims that will be subject to industrial and workplace dynamics. Design/methodology/approach Using a capability approach, the authors conceptualize and operationalize two aspects of FWA policy design, namely accessibility and availability. The authors' analysis allows for an understanding of how the availability and accessibility of national FWA policies explicitly and implicitly restrict or facilitate flexible working in a structural manner. The study focuses on countries with differing working time regimes and gender norms on work and care: the Netherlands, Spain and Slovenia. Findings The authors' findings highlight how FWA accessibility is broader when national policy is specified and FWA availability is not conditional to care. In Spain and Slovenia, access to FWAs depends on whether employees have care responsibilities, which reduces accessibility and reinforces gender imbalances in care provision. In contrast, the Netherlands provides FWAs universally, resulting in wider availability and accessibility of FWAs for employees regardless of their care responsibilities. Despite this universal provision, gender imbalances remain. Originality/value The originality of this paper lies in its conceptualization and operationalization of FWAs at the national level using a capability approach. The study adds to the existing literature on flexible working and provides insights for policymakers to design more effective FWAs." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © Emerald Group) ((en))

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Guerrero, Maria Cantero & Jorge Cabrita (2023): Working time in 2021–2022. Industrial relations and social dialogue. (Eurofound research report / European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions), Dublin, 46 S. DOI:10.2806/677895

Abstract

"The most important changes in the regulation of working time in Europe in 2021 and 2022 were related to the transposition of two European directives: the Work–life Balance Directive and the Transparent and Predictable Working Conditions Directive. The reduction of working time and more specifically the four-day working week have been increasingly debated in many EU Member States. In 2022, the average collectively agreed working week in the EU stood at 38.1 hours. Of the sectors analysed, agreed working hours were shortest in public administration, at around 37.7 hours – still longer than the overall average – and longest in the retail sector, at 38.5 hours. The average collectively agreed paid annual leave entitlement stood at 24.3 days in the EU, and was higher in the Member States that were part of the EU prior to its 2004 enlargement (EU14), at 25.3 days, than in the other Member States, at only 20.9 days. If working collectively agreed hours, full-time workers in the EU27 would have worked, on average, 1,726 hours in 2022, with an average of 1,698 hours in the EU14 and 1,822 hours in the other Member States." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Kim, Ji Hyun & Young Jun Choi (2023): Do childcare policies and schedule control enhance variable time workers' work–life balance? A gender analysis across European countries. In: International Journal of Social Welfare, Jg. 32, H. 3, S. 369-382. DOI:10.1111/ijsw.12587

Abstract

"Variable time work is no longer abnormal in the post-industrial economy and is accelerating due to digitisation and the COVID-19 pandemic. Previous studies have revealed a causal relationship between working time variability and work–life balance at the individual level; however, there has been less discussion of the role of the institutional context. This study examines the interplay among childcare policy, schedule control, and its relationship with work–life balance. We conducted a multilevel analysis using the European Working Conditions Survey. The analyses revealed that childcare policy has a U-shaped relationship with work–life balance for female variable time workers without schedule control. In contrast, workers with schedule control and male workers did not have a curvilinear relationship with the outcome. Our analyses imply that sufficient childcare intervention and its interaction with schedule control are necessary to offset the negative effect of childcare services on work–life balance." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, Published by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons) ((en))

Zitatform

Köppl-Turyna, Monika & Nikolaus Graf (2023): Kinderbetreuung und Vereinbarkeit im internationalen Vergleich: Update des EcoAustria Scoreboard-Indikators. (Policy note / EcoAustria - Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung 54), Wien, 21 S.

Abstract

"Die Verfügbarkeit qualitativ hochwertiger, örtlich erreichbarer, zeitlich flexibler Kinderbetreuung stellt eine Grundvoraussetzung der Vereinbarkeit von Beruf und Familie dar. Österreich weist eine überdurchschnittliche Erwerbsbeteiligung von Müttern auf, zugleich findet diese Erwerbsbeteiligung sehr häufig in Form von Teilzeitbeschäftigung statt. Teilzeitbeschäftigung stellt wieder mit, eine Ursache für geschlechtsspezifische Ungleichheiten am Arbeitsmarkt dar. Institutionelle Kinderbetreuung kann die Arbeitsmarktteilnahme von Müttern befördern und zu einer Ausweitung der Arbeitszeit führen. Zugleich gehen von Kinderbetreuung positive Effekte auf die Bildungsergebnisse und auf die schulische Integration bildungsbenachteiligter Kinder aus. In Anbetracht der aktuellen Arbeitskräfteknappheit kann eine Ausweitung der Erwerbsintegration von Müttern eine Option darstellen, die Nachfrage nach Arbeitskräften zu decken. Kurzum: Von Kinderbetreuung gehen viele positive, gesellschaftlich und politisch erwünschte Effekte aus. Dennoch: Trotz der in der jüngeren Vergangenheit erzielten Fortschritte sind etwa bei der Betreuung von Kleinkindern unter drei Jahren und im Hinblick auf verlängerte flexible Öffnungszeiten am Tagesrand sowie Schließtage während den Ferien Aufholpotenziale insbesondere in ländlichen Regionen gegeben. [...]" (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

Zitatform

Addison, John T. & Paulino Teixeira (2022): Worker Satisfaction and Worker Representation: The Jury Is Still Out. (IZA discussion paper / Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit 15809), Bonn, 32 S.

Abstract

"This paper investigates the relationship between worker job satisfaction and workplace representation, to include works councils as well as local union agencies. The paper marks a clear shift away from the traditional focus on union membership per se because its sample of EU nations have industrial relations systems that diverge markedly from those of Anglophone countries. Our dataset comprises two waves of the European Working Conditions Survey (EWCS). Pooled cross-section data indicate that workers in establishments with workplace representation have less job satisfaction than their counterparts in plants without formal representation. We proceed to upgrade these findings of conditional correlation by constructing a pseudo-panel with cohort fixed effects to take account of unobserved worker heterogeneity. Causality issues are directly tackled using an endogenous treatment effects model to address the possible endogeneity of worker representation. A persistence of our central finding leads us to conclude that, despite the recent evidence of a turnaround in the association between job satisfaction and unionism, it would be premature to conclude that this result can be generalized to continental European nations." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Behringer, Jan, Martin Gonzalez Granda & Till van Treeck (2022): Varieties of the rat race: Working hours in the age of abundance. (ifso working paper 17), Duisburg, 33 S.

Abstract

"We ask why working hours in the rich world have not declined more sharply or even risen at times since the early 1980s, despite a steady increase in productivity, and why they vary so much across rich countries. We use an internationally comparable database on working hours (Bick et al., 2019) and conduct panel data estimations for a sample of 17 European countries and the United States over the period 1983-2019. We find that high or increasing top-end income inequality, decentralized labor relations, and limited government provision of education and other in-kind services contribute to long working hours. Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that upward-looking status comparisons in positional consumption ("Veblen effects") contribute to a "rat race" of long working hours that is more or less pronounced in different varieties of capitalism." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Flüter-Hoffmann, Christiane & Oliver Stettes (2022): Homeoffice nach fast zwei Jahren Pandemie. Ein Rück- und Ausblick über die Verbreitung und Struktur der räumlichen und zeitlichen Flexibilisierung von Arbeit in Deutschland, Europa und den USA. (IW-Report / Institut der Deutschen Wirtschaft Köln 2022,02), Köln, 56 S.

Abstract

"Die hier vorliegende Studie zeigt einen Rück- und Ausblick über die Verbreitung und Struktur der räumlichen und zeitlichen Flexibilisierung von Arbeit in Deutschland, Europa und den USA." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

Zitatform

Weber, Daniela & Elke Loichinger (2022): Live longer, retire later? Developments of healthy life expectancies and working life expectancies between age 50–59 and age 60–69 in Europe. In: European Journal of Ageing, Jg. 19, H. 1, S. 75-93. DOI:10.1007/s10433-020-00592-5

Abstract

"Europe's population is ageing. Statutory retirement ages are commonly raised to account for continuous increases in life expectancy. In order to estimate the potential to increase statutory and consequently effective retirement ages further, in this study, we investigate the relationship between partial working life expectancy (WLE) and three health expectancies that represent health aspects important for work ability and employability between ages 50 and 59 as well as 60 and 69 for women and men in Europe. We also explore the association between these four indicators and the highest level of educational attainment. We apply Sullivan's method to estimate WLE and three selected measures that capture general, physical, and cognitive health status of older adults for 26 European countries since 2004. Over time, WLEs increased significantly in the younger age group for women and in the older age group for both sexes. The expected number of years in good physical health have continuously been higher than any of the other three indicators, while the expected number of years in good cognitive health have shown a noticeable increase over time. The investigation of the relationship between education and each life expectancy confirms the well-established positive correlation between education and economic activity as well as good health. Our results indicate potential to extend working lives beyond current levels. However, significant differences in the expected number of years in good health between persons with different levels of education require policies that account for this heterogeneity." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Gracia, Pablo, Wen Jui-Han & Jianghong Li (2021): Nonstandard work schedules in 29 European countries, 2005-15: differences by education, gender, and parental status. In: Monthly labor review, Jg. 144, H. July. DOI:10.21916/mlr.2021.17

Abstract

"Data from the European Working Conditions Surveys from 2005 to 2015 for 29 European countries show that the prevalence of nonstandard work schedules (evenings, nights, weekends, and rotating shifts) differs markedly across European regions with different public policies. Working nonstandard schedules also differs by education, gender, and parental status across Europe." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Kolasa, Marcin, Michal Rubaszek & Małgorzata Walerych (2021): Do flexible working hours amplify or stabilize unemployment fluctuations? In: European Economic Review, Jg. 131. DOI:10.1016/j.euroecorev.2020.103605

Abstract

"In this paper we challenge the conventional view that increasing working time flexibility limits the amplitude of unemployment fluctuations. We start by showing that hours per worker in European countries are much less procyclical than in the US, and even co-move negatively with output in selected economies. This is confirmed by the results from a structural VAR model for the euro area, in which hours per worker increase after a contractionary monetary shock, exacerbating the upward pressure on unemployment. To understand these counterintuitive results, we develop a structural search and matching macroeconomic model with endogenous job separations that resemble layoffs. We show that this feature is key to generating a countercyclical response of hours per worker. When we augment the model with frictions in working hours adjustment and estimate it using euro area time series, we find that increasing flexibility of working time amplifies cyclical movements in unemployment." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © 2021 Elsevier) ((en))

Zitatform

Magda, Iga & Katarzyna Lipowska (2021): Flexibility of Working Time Arrangements and Female Labor Market Outcome. (IZA discussion paper 14812), Bonn, 18 S.

Abstract

"We use data from the 2019 EU Labor Force Survey to study gender and parenthood gaps in two dimensions of flexibility in working time arrangements in 25 European countries. We find that overall in Europe, there is no statistically significant gender difference in access to flexible work arrangements. However, women are less likely than men to have flexible working hours in the Central-Eastern and Southern European countries, whereas this gender gap is reversed in Continental Europe. At the same time, women are less likely than men to face demands from their employers that they work flexible hours. We also find that both mothers and fathers are more likely than their childless colleagues to have access to flexible working hours, but that fathers' workplaces are more likely than mothers' workplaces to demand temporal flexibility from employees. In addition, we find that working in a female-dominated occupation decreases the probability of having access to flexible work arrangements, and that this effect is stronger for women than for men. At the same time, we observe that both men and women who work in female-dominated occupations are less exposed to flexibility demands from employers than their counterparts who work in male-dominated or gender-neutral occupations. Finally, we find that compared to employers in other Europeans countries, employers in the Central and Eastern European countries are less likely to offer flexible working hours, especially to women, and with no additional flexibility being offered to parents; whereas employers in Continental and Nordic countries are more likely to offer flexible work arrangements, and with no gender gap." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Burger, Anna S. (2020): Extreme work hours in Western Europe and North America: diverging trends since the 1970s. In: Socio-economic review, Jg. 18, H. 4, S. 1065-1087. DOI:10.1093/ser/mwy020

Abstract

"This article presents a political economy analysis of extreme work hours in 18 advanced Western economies since the 1970s. Empirically, it shows that the culture of long work hours has gained significance not only in the Anglo-Saxon but also in most Continental European welfare states. Theoretically, it provides an institutionalist argument against the neoclassical, or supply-side, point of view on the drivers of long work hours in post-industrial labour markets. It demonstrates that the choice to work long hours is not entirely, or even mainly, left to the preference of the individual. Instead, individual choices are constrained by labour market policies, collective bargaining institutions and new labour market structures, the pattern and trends of which do not necessarily follow the contours of the regime typology. Data on extreme work hours was compiled from the Luxembourg Income Study and the Multinational Time Use Study micro-data collections." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Taiji, Riley & Melinda C. Mills (2020): Non-standard Schedules, Work–Family Conflict, and the Moderating Role of National Labour Context. Evidence from 32 European Countries. In: European Sociological Review, Jg. 36, H. 2, S. 179-197. DOI:10.1093/esr/jcz048

Abstract

"A wide body of research over the past 30 years links non-standard work schedules to increased work–family conflict (WFC), but often only within single country contexts. A relatively under-explored question is the extent to which the effects of non-standard schedules on family life might vary by country or be buffered by institutional context. Building on past research, this study uses multilevel modelling techniques on 2004 and 2010 European Social Survey data to explore whether the effects of non-standard schedules on WFC vary across 32 countries in Europe, and if so, whether this contextual variation can be explained by labour regulations and industrial relations characteristics measured at the country level. Findings show that while non-standard work hours and days are associated with increased WFC across the majority of sampled countries, the strength of this association varies significantly between countries. The strongest factor shaping the social consequences of non-standard schedules is the degree to which workers are covered under collective bargaining agreements in a country, which explains as much as 17% of the observed between-country variation in the effects of non-standard schedules on WFC. These findings highlight collective agreements as one of the central mechanisms through which family-friendly regulations on working times and conditions are generated for non-standard schedule workers across Europe. More broadly, findings suggest that when studying the social consequences of non-standard schedules, these arrangements must be contextualized in the broader institutional frameworks within which they are organized and regulated." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Cebulla, Andreas, Nathan Hudson-Sharp, Lucy Stokes & David Wilkinson (2019): Work-life imbalance in extended working lives. Domestic divisions of labour and partners' perceptions of job pressures of non-retiring older workers. In: Sozialer Fortschritt, Jg. 68, H. 4, S. 289-311. DOI:10.3790/sfo.68.4.289

Abstract

"Die Verlängerung des Arbeitslebens verschiebt auch die bestehende Arbeitszeit- oder das Familienleben zu späteren Zeitpunkten im Leben. Die Analyse der Daten des European Social Survey zeigt, dass sich die ungleiche Arbeitsteilung in Haushalten mit Arbeitnehmern, die über das Renteneintrittsalter hinaus beschäftigt sind, ausweitet. Wir untersuchen, wie Partner den Arbeitsdruck älterer Arbeitnehmer, die kurz vor oder nach Erreichen des typischen Renteneintrittsalter stehen, wahrnehmen. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass die Besorgnis der Partner älterer Beschäftigter über die Verantwortung und den Druck nicht unmittelbar mit einer ungleichen Verteilung von Hausarbeit verbunden ist, sondern mit dem Ausmaß, in dem die Arbeitenden ihren Arbeitstag selbst organisieren können und insbesondere auch mit der Müdigkeit nach der Arbeit. In dem Papier wird argumentiert, dass diese Bedenken zur Kenntnis genommen werden sollten, insoweit sie auf ein Risiko von Stress innerhalb der Beziehung hindeuten." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

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Fuchs-Schündeln, Nicola (2019): Hours worked across the world. Facts and driving forces. In: National Institute Economic Review, Jg. 247, H. 1, S. R3-R9. DOI:10.1177/002795011924700110

Abstract

"I summarise new facts on hours worked differences across countries and their driving forces. The facts are derived from a comprehensive analysis of micro data sets. First, hours worked are substantially higher in poor than in rich countries. Second, lower hours worked in Europe than in the US can partly be explained by differences in vacation weeks and partly by differences in the demographic structure. Moreover, employment rates tend to be higher and weekly hours worked lower in Western Europe and Scandinavia than in the US, with the opposite being true in Eastern and Southern Europe. Last, among core-aged individuals, married women form the group that exhibits the largest differences in hours worked across countries. International differences in taxation, and especially in the tax treatment of married couples, are an important driver of these differences." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Messenger, Jon C. (Hrsg.) (2019): Telework in the 21st Century. An Evolutionary Perspective. (The ILO Future of Work series), Cheltenham: Elgar, 352 S. DOI:10.4337/9781789903751

Abstract

"Technological developments have enabled a dramatic expansion and also an evolution of telework, broadly defined as using ICTs to perform work from outside of an employer’s premises. This volume offers a new conceptual framework explaining the evolution of telework over four decades. It reviews national experiences from Argentina, Brazil, India, Japan, the United States, and ten EU countries regarding the development of telework, its various forms and effects. It also analyses large-scale surveys and company case studies regarding the incidence of telework and its effects on working time, work-life balance, occupational health and well-being, and individual and organizational performance." (Author's abstract, © Edward Elgar Publishing) ((en))

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Nachreiner, Friedhelm, Anna Arlinghaus & Jana Greubel (2019): Variabilität der Arbeitszeit und Unfallrisiko. In: Zeitschrift für Arbeitswissenschaft, Jg. 73, H. 4, S. 369-379. DOI:10.1007/s41449-019-00172-z

Abstract

"In der letzten Zeit werden Forderungen nach mehr Flexibilität und größerer Anpassbarkeit der Arbeitszeiten, insbesondere an die betrieblichen Anforderungen aber auch an die Anforderungen der Beschäftigten, immer deutlicher und zwar deutlich weitergehend, als das derzeitige Arbeitszeitgesetz in der BRD zulässt. Konfligierend damit legen erste Studien einen Zusammenhang zwischen der Variabilität der Arbeitszeit und dem Unfallrisiko nahe. In diesem Zusammenhang wurde im Rahmen einer Analyse vorliegenden Datenmaterials einer europäischen Umfrage (European Working Conditions Survey 2010) mit Hilfe statistisch den vorzufindenen Verteilungen angemessener logistischer Regressionsansätze der Steigerung des Unfallrisikos und des Risikos von unfallbedingten Ausfalltagen nachgegangen. Die Variabilität der Arbeitszeitsysteme wurde dabei mit Hilfe eines faktorenanalytisch gewonnenen Indizes abgebildet, ebenso wie die Kontrollvariablen zur körperlichen und zur psychischen Belastung wie zur Autonomie bei der Gestaltung der Arbeitsbedingungen. Die Autonomie bei der Gestaltung der eigenen Arbeitszeit wurde durch eine eigene, separate Frage abgebildet.
Die Ergebnisse belegen eine signifikante und deutliche Steigerung des Unfallrisikos durch variable Arbeitszeiten, mit Odds-Ratios im Bereich um 1,25 und damit rund 25 %, und zwar unter Kontrolle potentiell konfundierender Bedingungen wie der berichteten Belastung, dem a priori Risiko der Tätigkeit, der Dauer der Arbeitszeit, Schichtarbeit, sowie weiterer Variablen. Autonomie in der Gestaltung der eigenen Arbeitszeiten senkt das Risiko leicht, allerdings nicht substantiell. Im Prinzip erweist sich damit die Variabilität der Arbeitszeit als bedeutsamer Risiko-Faktor, unabhängig davon, wer sie verursacht oder von wem sie ausgeht.
Grund für diese Risikosteigerung könnte eine Desynchronisierung (oder Anstöße dazu) mit biologischen oder sozialen Rhythmen sein. Aus arbeitswissenschaftlicher Sicht erscheint daher bei der Erhöhung der Flexibilität und damit der Variabilität der Arbeitszeiten erhebliche Vorsicht geboten. Dies gilt auch für Veränderungen der normativen Regelungen zur Gestaltung der Arbeitszeiten.
Praktische Relevanz Die Variabilität der Arbeitszeit, insbesondere bei flexiblen Arbeitszeiten, sollte trotz weitergehender Forderungen nach größerer Flexibilisierung auf ein erträgliches Maß begrenzt werden. So können variabilitätsbedingte Anstöße zur Desynchronisation von biologischen und sozialen Rhythmen und darüber ausgelöste Beeinträchtigungen, wie etwa ein erhöhtes Unfallrisiko, vermieden werden." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

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Bell, David N.F. & David G. Blanchflower (2018): Underemployment in the US and Europe. (NBER working paper 24927), Cambrige, Mass., 44 S. DOI:10.3386/w24927

Abstract

"Large numbers of part-time workers around the world, both those who choose to be part-time and those who are there involuntarily and would prefer a full-time job report they want more hours. Full-timers who say they want to change their hours mostly say they want to reduce them. When recession hit in most countries the number of hours of those who said they wanted more hours, rose sharply and there was a fall in the number of hours that full-timers wanted their hours reduced by. Even though the unemployment rate has returned to its pre-recession levels in many advanced countries, underemployment in most has not.
We produce estimates for a new, and better, underemployment rate for twenty-five European countries. In most underemployment remains elevated. We provide evidence for the UK and the US as well as some international evidence that underemployment rather than unemployment lowers pay in the years after the Great Recession. We also find evidence for the US that falls in the home ownership rate have helped to keep wage pressure in check. Underemployment replaces unemployment as the main influence on wages in the years since the Great Recession." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Chung, Heejung (2018): Dualization and the access to occupational family-friendly working-time arrangements across Europe. In: Social policy and administration, Jg. 52, H. 2, S. 491-507. DOI:10.1111/spol.12379

Abstract

"This article examines outsiders' relative access to occupational level family-friendly policies. I use data from the European Working Conditions Survey of 2015 across 30 European countries examining workers' access to two types of family-friendly working-time arrangements (WTAs): flexitime, and time off work for personal reasons. The article focuses on women with care responsibilities given that their demands for family-friendly policies, as well as their outcomes, have been shown to be distinct from the rest of the working population. In addition to the outsider definition used in the labor market dualization and occupational segmentation literature, i.e., low-skilled workers and those without a permanent contract, this article also defines outsiders as those perceiving their job as insecure. The results of the analysis show a segmentation between workers in their access to family-friendly policies. Unlike statutory policies, occupational policies seem to be selectively provided mostly to workers where employers have a vested interest, i.e., insiders, resulting in a dualized system for most countries. However, rather than their contract status, the skill-level of the job/workers, and their perceived insecurity were found to be important. The results further show that although Northern European and some continental European countries are those where family-friendly WTAs are more readily available, it is in these countries where the division between insiders and outsiders is the greatest. The results of the article contribute to the literature by showing a need to move beyond the national level when examining family-friendly policies, and to examine a more diverse definition of outsiders when examining dualization of working conditions." (Author's abstract, Published by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons) ((en))

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Kümmerling, Angelika (2018): Geschlechtsspezifische Unterschiede in den Arbeitszeiten. Fortschritt auf der einen, Stagnation auf der anderen Seite. (IAQ-Report 2018-08), Duisburg, 23 S. DOI:10.17185/duepublico/47961

Abstract

"Zwischen 2010 und 2016 sind die durchschnittlichen Arbeitszeiten in Deutschland stabil geblieben. Im Mittel arbeiteten abhängig Beschäftigte 2016 35,2 Stunden in der Woche. Von einem unterschiedlichen Niveau ausgehend, haben sich die Arbeitszeiten von Männern seit 2010 leicht verringert, während Frauen heute länger arbeiten. Als Folge davon hat sich der Gender Time Gap (von 9,3 Std. auf 8,7 Std.) deutlich reduziert. Grund hierfür ist ein Trend zu längerer Teilzeit bei den Frauen, insbesondere bei Müttern. Frauen und Männer und vor allem Mütter und Väter haben weiterhin grundsätzlich andere Arbeitszeitrealitäten. Teilzeit hat sich dabei als die Arbeitszeitform von Müttern weiter manifestiert. Im EU-Vergleich sind die Arbeitszeiten von Frauen in Deutschland die zweitkürzesten. Nur in den Niederlanden arbeiten Frauen weniger Stunden in der Woche. Mütter in Deutschland sind im EU-Vergleich deutlich schlechter in den Arbeitsmarkt eingebunden als Frauen ohne Kinder. Kinder zu haben stellt also einen Risikofaktor für die Erwerbstätigkeit und finanzielle Absicherung von Frauen dar. Das Ehegattensplitting steht im Widerspruch zu familienpolitischen Maßnahmen wie KiTa-Ausbau und Elterngeld und erweist sich als Hemmschuh für eine gleichberechtigte Arbeitsteilung von Frauen und Männern." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

Zitatform

Magda, Iga & Roma Keister (2018): Working time flexibility and parental 'Quality Time' spent with children. (IZA discussion paper 11507), Bonn, 37 S.

Abstract

"The aim of our paper is to analyse the relationship between working time flexibility and parental time devoted to children. Using data from a large panel survey of Polish households carried out in 2013 and 2014 (Determinants of Educational Decisions Household Panel Survey, UDE) we investigate whether and how various dimensions of working time flexibility affect the amount of time parents spend with their children reading, playing or teaching them new things. We account for employment status of parents, their socio-economic status and social and cultural norms they share. Our results show that employment status of parents and their working time arrangements are not statistically significant for the amount of parental 'quality time' devoted to children. We show that these are parental human and cultural capital and their values that are primary factors determining the amount of parental time investments." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Pollmann-Schult, Matthias (2018): Parenthood and Life Satisfaction in Europe : The Role of Family Policies and Working Time Flexibility. In: European Journal of Population, Jg. 34, H. 3, S. 387-411. DOI:10.1007/s10680-017-9433-5

Abstract

"The life satisfaction of parents residing with dependent children varies greatly between countries. This article examines how country-level characteristics -- the provision of family allowances and formal child care, and the level of working time flexibility -- account for these cross-national differences, using data from the European Social Survey from 2004 and 2010 for 27 countries. Parents report greater life satisfaction in countries that offer generous financial benefits to families, high child care provision, and high working time flexibility than parents residing in counties with low levels of support. Results also show that these national contextual factors are associated with lower levels of financial strain and work - life conflicts among parents. These findings suggest that the mitigating effect of family benefits, child care provision, and working time flexibility on the psychosocial and financial burdens of parenthood is a key mechanism in the association between national contextual factors and parental life satisfaction." (Author's abstract, © Springer-Verlag) ((en))

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Bertram, Hans (2016): Die Rushhour des Lebens: Auswege und Lösungsmodelle. In: Archiv für Wissenschaft und Praxis der sozialen Arbeit, Jg. 47, H. 2, S. 16-33.

Abstract

"Aus der Rushhour des Lebens, in der berufliche Anforderungen und die Fürsorge für Kinder vereinbart werden müssen, gibt es keine einfachen Auswege. Viele Lösungsmodelle scheitern daran, dass die notwendige Zeit für Kinder nicht beliebig disponibel ist und dass noch immer strukturelle Einkommensunterschiede zwischen Männern und Frauen bestehen. Zudem benachteiligen sie Alleinerziehende. In diesem Beitrag werden die zeitlichen Belastungen von Eltern im europäischen Vergleich untersucht und auf dieser Grundlage flexible Arbeitszeiten im Lebenslauf als mögliche Lösung vorgestellt." (Autorenreferat, © Deutscher Verein für öffentliche und private Fürsorge e.V.)

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Bick, Alexander, Bettina Brüggemann & Nicola Fuchs-Schündeln (2016): Hours worked in Europe and the US. New data, new answers. (IZA discussion paper 10179), Bonn, 44 S.

Abstract

"We use national labor force surveys from 1983 through 2011 to construct hours worked per person on the aggregate level and for different demographic groups for 18 European countries and the US. We find that Europeans work 19% fewer hours than US citizens. Differences in weeks worked and in the educational composition each account for one third to one half of this gap. Lower hours per person than in the US are in addition driven by lower weekly hours worked in Scandinavia and Western Europe, but by lower employment rates in Eastern and Southern Europe." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Dulk, Laura den, Hana Hašková, Renata Kyzlinková, Sevil Sümer, Dominique Anxo, Dorota Szelewa & Laura den Dulk (2016): Working time options over the life course. New regulations and empirical findings in five European countries. (WSI study 07), Düsseldorf, 136 S.

Abstract

"Sie stellt den aktuellen Stand der Regulierung von Arbeitszeitoptionen für eine lebensphasenorientierte Arbeitszeitgestaltung in fünf europäischen Ländern vor: Wissenschaftler/innen aus den Niederlanden, Schweden, Norwegen, Polen und der Tschechischen Republik gehen auf das Angebot an flexiblen Arbeitszeitarrangements per Gesetz und per Tarifvertrag ein und zeigen Zusammenhänge zur Geschlechtergleichstellung auf.
Zu finden sind die neuesten Daten zur Verfügbarkeit von Teilzeit, Elternzeit, Vaterschaftsurlaub und anderer Auszeiten. Die Wissenschaftler/innen stellen Forschungsergebnisse zur Nutzung der Optionen in den jeweiligen Ländern vor und behandeln die Veränderungen der letzten Jahre.
So gibt es in Ländern, in denen bisher feste Arbeitszeiten vorherrschten (Polen und Tschechische Republik) eine gewisse Zunahme von Arbeitszeitoptionen. Auch in diesen Ländern wird ein zunehmender Druck deutlich, das alte Arbeitszeitregime zu flexibilisieren.
In allen Ländern (Ausnahme: Schweden) zeigen sich Bestrebungen, flexible Arbeitszeiten (noch stärker) für wirtschaftliche Ziele nutzbar zu machen, das heißt, arbeitgeber- oder betriebsbezogene Flexibilität auszuweiten.
Die wenigen Studien, die zur Praxis der Nutzung von Arbeitszeitoptionen vorliegen, deuten darauf hin, dass in vielen Fällen die Einführung der Optionen nicht von einer Veränderung der betrieblichen Kultur begleitet war." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

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Nys, Annemie, Leen Meeusen & Vincent Corluy (2016): Who cares? A counterfactual analysis of household work intensity in households with disabled family members. In: Social indicators research, Jg. 128, H. 2, S. 675-691. DOI:10.1007/s11205-015-1050-2

Abstract

"Disability policy has been dominated by two views, namely the medical and the social model. Employment policies stemming from these two models differ substantially. Yet, both models share an exclusive focus on the disabled individual and his labour market integration. Recent developments in labour market studies show that a household perspective offers new insights in the relationship between employment outcomes and social inequality. In this paper we argue that the dominant focus on individual employment of the current models falls short in depicting the full picture. We apply the notion of household work intensity and apply a polarization index to examine the distribution of employment over households with disabled family members, using EU-SILC data for 2005 - 2009. We find that the success of disability-related employment policies depend to a large extent on which unit of interest, i.e., the disabled individual or the household, is taken into account. More jobless households exist than would be expected in the case employment was randomly distributed. This reveals that the low employment rates of disabled household members only partially explain the low household work intensity. Shared socio-demographic traits have a mixed effect in explaining the excess joblessness. A more complex framework is therefore needed to account for household level mechanisms that influence household work intensity in families with disabled members." (Author's abstract, © Springer-Verlag) ((en))

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Chakraborty, Indraneel, Hans A. Holter & Serhiy Stepanchuk (2015): Marriage stability, taxation and aggregate labor supply in the U.S. vs. Europe. In: Journal of monetary economics, Jg. 72, H. May, S. 1-20. DOI:10.1016/j.jmoneco.2015.01.001

Abstract

"Americans work more than Europeans. Using micro-data from the United States and 17 European countries, we document that women are typically the largest contributors to the cross-country differences in work hours. We also show that there is a negative relation between taxes and annual hours worked, driven by men, and a positive relation between divorce rates and annual hours worked, driven by women. In a calibrated life-cycle model with heterogeneous agents, marriage and divorce, we find that the divorce and tax mechanisms together can explain 45% of the variation in labor supply between the United States and the European countries." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Hall, Axel & Gylfi Zoega (2015): Why do Europeans work less than Americans? Public consumption and welfare benefits as a cause of the north-atlantic divide. (CESifo working paper 5264), München, 26 S.

Abstract

"We propose an explanation of why Europeans choose to work fewer hours than Americans and also suffer higher rates of unemployment. Labor market regulations, unemployment benefits, and high levels of public consumption in many European countries reduce, ceteris paribus, the gains from being employed, which makes employed workers ask for higher wages relative to productivity. The higher wages make firms offer fewer vacancies, as well as raising the opportunity cost of working by enabling employed workers to enjoy time-consuming consumption activities. We find empirical support for our thesis." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Raess, Damian & Brian Burgoon (2015): Flexiblework and immigration in Europe. In: BJIR, Jg. 53, H. 1, S. 94-111. DOI:10.1111/bjir.12022

Abstract

"Immigration has risen substantially in many European economies, with farreaching if still uncertain implications for labour markets and industrial relations. This article investigates such implications, focusing on employment flexibility, involving both 'external flexibility' (fixed-term or temporary agency and/or involuntary part-time work) and 'internal flexibility' (overtime and/or balancing-time accounts). The article identifies reasons why immigration should generally increase the incidence of such flexibility, and why external flexibility should rise more than internal flexibility. The article supports these claims using a dataset of establishments in 16 European countries." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Roit, Barbara Da, Marcel Hoogenboom & Bernhard Weicht (2015): The gender informal care gap. In: European Societies, Jg. 17, H. 2, S. 199-218. DOI:10.1080/14616696.2015.1007153

Abstract

"This article investigates the relationship between the 'gender informal care gap' - the relative contributions of women to informal care for non-co-resident relatives and other members of social networks, compared to men - and public care policies, level of care needs, labour market position and gendered care attitudes. Since the literature suggests that none of these factors alone can explain the gender informal care gap, we develop a model based on fuzzy-set/qualitative comparative analysis in order to identify patterns in the relationship between the factors. The analysis conducted at the macro-national level in 13 European countries, suggests that at the macro-level, the availability of public care services is crucial to understanding the gender informal care gap, while women's labour market position, the presence or absence of gendered care attitudes and the level of care needs play no or a relatively minor role." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Crespo, Laura & Pedro Mira (2014): Caregiving to elderly parents and employment status of European mature women. In: The Review of Economics and Statistics, Jg. 96, H. 4, S. 693-709. DOI:10.1162/REST_a_00426

Abstract

"We study the prevalence of informal caregiving to elderly parents by their mature daughters in Europe and the links between parental health, intense (daily) caregiving, and the employment status of daughters. We group data from SHARE into three country pools (North, Central, and South), which differ in the availability of public formal care services and female labor market attachment. There is a strong North-South gradient in the (positive) effect of parental ill health on the probability of daily caregiving. The loss of employment ascribable to daily informal caregiving seems negligible, except in southern countries. We use a time allocation model to provide a link to an empirical IV-treatment effects framework and to interpret our findings." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Lott, Yvonne (2014): Flexibilität und Autonomie in der Arbeitszeit: Gut für die Work-Life Balance? Analysen zum Zusammenhang von Arbeitszeitarrangements und Work-Life Balance in Europa. (WSI-Report 18), Düsseldorf, 16 S.

Abstract

"Flexibilität und Autonomie in der Arbeitszeit haben das Potenzial, Beschäftigte in ihrer Work-Life Balance zu unterstützten. Aber tun sie das auch tatsächlich? Forschungsergebnisse zeigen: Flexibilität und Autonomie in der Arbeitszeit sind generell mit einer guten Work-Life Balance verbunden. Jedoch gilt dies für Männer in der Regel weniger als für Frauen. Zudem spielen Arbeitsmarkt- und Familienpolitik, Sozialpartnerschaft und die betriebliche Arbeitsorganisation für den Zusammenhang zwischen Arbeitszeitautonomie und Work-Life Balance eine entscheidende Rolle. Gewerkschaften und Mitbestimmung haben damit die Möglichkeit und auch die Aufgabe die Flexibilisierung der Arbeitszeit im Interesse der Beschäftigten zu gestalten. So muss für eine Arbeitsorganisation gesorgt werden, die die Vorteile von Arbeitszeitautonomie zur Geltung bringt. Gewerkschaften und Betriebsräte sollten letztlich eine Betriebskultur fördern, in der Männer ermuntert werden, Arbeitszeitautonomie für ihre Aktivitäten außerhalb der Arbeit tatsächlich auch zu nutzen." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

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Salladarré, Frédéric & Stephane Hlaimi (2014): Women and part-time work in Europe. In: International Labour Review, Jg. 153, H. 2, S. 293-310. DOI:10.1111/j.1564-913X.2014.00205.x

Abstract

"This article examines female part-time employment in 23 European countries, distinguishing between 'short' and 'long' part-time employment. The short form, defined as less than 20 hours per week, is associated with the youngest and oldest age groups, slight disability, a higher number of children, lower skill levels, and employment in community, social and personal services. Although the incidence of part-time employment varies considerably across countries, long part-time employment is generally more widespread than short part-time employment, albeit with matching cross-country variations in the incidence of the two types. This suggests that they are complementary, rather than substitutes for one another." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Verbakel, Ellen (2014): Informal caregiving and well-being in Europe. What can ease the negative consequences for caregivers? In: Journal of European social policy, Jg. 24, H. 5, S. 424-441. DOI:10.1177/0958928714543902

Abstract

"Against the background of an ageing society with an increasing demand for informal caregivers, this study examines (1) to what extent informal caregiving is negatively related to well-being, (2) to what extent the relationship between informal caregiving and well-being varies over countries and (3) to what extent national policies and countries' normative climates reduce the well-being gap between caregivers and noncaregivers. Analyses on the European Quality of Life Survey 2007 (N = 20,396 in 18 countries), applying multilevel regression techniques, confirmed previous findings that caregivers have lower levels of well-being than non-caregivers. This relationship varied between countries. Generous availability of formal long-term resources reduces the well-being gap between caregivers and non-caregivers. Surprisingly, services that are designed to support informal caregivers do not alleviate the negative well-being consequences. A strong country-level family norm does not affect the well-being gap between caregivers and non-caregivers, but reduces the negative well-being consequences of intensive caregiving." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Wielers, Rudi, Maria Münderlein & Ferry Koster (2014): Part-time work and work hour preferences. An international comparison. In: European Sociological Review, Jg. 30, H. 1, S. 76-89. DOI:10.1093/esr/jct023

Abstract

"The goal of this article is to explain cross-country differences in over- and under-employment. The focus is on the effects of the growth of part-time work. We argue and demonstrate that the spread and acceptance of part-time work results in a downward adaptation of descriptive norms regulating work hours. Initially, women use part-time work to solve the Work-Family-Conflict. The increase of parttime work among women with children increases its acceptance among women and men, as part-time work offers the opportunity to combine paid work with education, care, or the anticipation of retirement. Following this argument, we deduce hypotheses about the work hour preferences of full-time and part-time working women and men and test these hypotheses on the second wave of the European Social Survey (ESS, 2004). The results show that a larger share of part-time work in a country is associated with stronger preferences among full-time workers to reduce work hours. The preference to reduce work hours spreads among full-time working mothers, and from mothers to other full-time working women and men. Preferences to increase working hours among part-time workers are more driven by the level of prosperity of the country." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Broughton, Andrea (2013): EU employers take family-friendly working seriously. Dublin, 12 S.

Abstract

"A survey investigating family-friendly working policies in companies in six European countries (France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Sweden, UK) finds that employers take family-friendly working seriously and have put in place a range of policies to support this, especially in areas such as flexible working and parental support. The main driver for this in most countries was compliance with legislation or collective agreements. The economic crisis has had little impact on the provision of family-friendly working policies." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Hipp, Lena & Stefan Stuth (2013): Management und Teilzeitarbeit. Wunsch und Wirklichkeit. (WZBrief Arbeit 15), Berlin, 6 S.

Abstract

"Manager und Managerinnen arbeiten in Europa selten Teilzeit. Auch auf Führungsebene ist Teilzeit 'Frauendomäne'. Teilzeitarbeit im Management wird stark von der Arbeitszeit- und Geschlechterkultur in den Ländern beeinflusst." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

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Pereira, Maria C. & Filipe Coelho (2013): Work hours and well being. An investigation of moderator effects. In: Social indicators research, Jg. 111, H. 1, S. 235-253. DOI:10.1007/s11205-012-0002-3

Abstract

"The relationship between work hours and subjective well being is marked by contradictory findings, thereby implying that it is far from being completely understood. A study of moderator effects can help explain variations in results across studies and, thus, overcome inconsistencies in past research. Accordingly, the current study aims to enlighten the relationship between work hours and well being by investigating how a number of variables moderate this relationship. To develop the research hypotheses concerning the moderator effects, this study relies mostly on social identity theory. Overall, the results suggest that work hours, per se, do not have a significant relationship with individual well being. Rather, their effects seem to depend on a number of issues, namely concerned with individuals' objective characteristics, as well as their social identities." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Beham, Barbara, Patrick Präg & Sonja Drobnic (2012): Who's got the balance? A study of satisfaction with the work-family balance among part-time service sector employees in five western European countries. In: The international journal of human resource management, Jg. 23, H. 18, S. 3725-3741. DOI:10.1080/09585192.2012.654808

Abstract

"Working part-time is frequently considered a viable strategy for employees to better combine work and non-work responsibilities. The present study examines differences in satisfaction with work-family balance (SWFB) among professional and non-professional part-time service sector employees in five western European countries. Part-time employees were found to be more SWFB than full-time employees even after taking varying demands and resources into account. However, there are important differences among the part-timers. Employees in marginal part-time employment with considerably reduced working hours were the most satisfied. Professionals were found to profit less from reduced working hours and experienced lower levels of SWFB than non-professionals. No significant differences in SWFB were found between male and female part-time workers." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Budig, Michelle J., Joya Misra & Irene Boeckmann (2012): The motherhood penalty in cross-national perspective. The importance of work-family policies and cultural attitudes. In: Social Politics, Jg. 19, H. 2, S. 163-193. DOI:10.1093/sp/jxs006

Abstract

"Mothers' employment and earnings partly depend on social policies and cultural norms supporting women's paid and unpaid work. Previous research suggests that work-family policies are deeply shaped by their cultural context. We examine country variation in the associations between motherhood and earnings, in cultural attitudes surrounding women's employment, and in childcare and parental leave policies. We model how cultural attitudes moderate the impact of policies on women's earnings across countries. Parental leaves and public childcare are associated with higher earnings for mothers when cultural support for maternal employment is high, but have less positive or even negative relationships with earnings where cultural attitudes support the male breadwinner/female caregiver model." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Goudswaard, Anneke, Steven Dhondt, Robert Vergeer, Peter Oeij, Jan de Leede, Koos van Adrichem, Péter Csizmadia, Csaba Makó, Miklos Illesy & Akos Toth (2012): Organisation of working time. Implications for productivity and working conditions. Overview report. Dublin, 68 S.

Abstract

"The report examines working time flexible arrangements implemented in five companies of the retail and automotive sector in Hungary and Belgium and the Netherlands using the case study methodology. The main aim of this research was to explore and show whether and under what conditions working time flexible arrangements in companies are implemented and can increase productivity and at the same time preserve or improve quality of work in general and especially with regard to work - life balance." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Lyness, Karen S., Janet C. Gornick, Pamela Stone & Angela R. Grotto (2012): It's all about control: worker control over schedule and hours in cross-national context. In: American Sociological Review, Jg. 77, H. 6, S. 1023-1049. DOI:10.1177/0003122412465331

Abstract

"Workers' ability to control their work schedules and hours varies significantly among industrialized countries. We integrate and extend prior research from a variety of literatures to examine antecedents of control and worker outcomes. Using hierarchical linear modeling and data for 21 countries from the 1997 ISSP Work Orientations Survey supplemented with national indicators developed from a variety of sources, we find that control is associated with country characteristics (affluence, welfare state generosity, union coverage, and working-time regulations), worker attributes (being male, being older, and being better educated), and job characteristics (working part-time, being self-employed, having higher earnings, and having more advancement opportunities). We also examine the relationship of control to job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and strain-based work-family conflict. Generally, low levels of control are linked to negative outcomes for workers, especially for women, an effect sometimes modulated by country-level policy measures." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Brenke, Karl (2011): Anhaltender Strukturwandel zur Teilzeitbeschäftigung. In: DIW-Wochenbericht, Jg. 78, H. 42, S. 3-12.

Abstract

"Die Bedeutung der Teilzeitbeschäftigung ist stark gewachsen - in Deutschland wie generell in Europa. In Deutschland hat sie in überdurchschnittlichem Maße zugelegt und ist derzeit stärker verbreitet als im EU-Durchschnitt. Offenbar handelt es sich um einen grundlegenden Strukturwandel, denn die Teilzeitarbeit hat unbeeinflusst von konjunkturellen Entwicklungen zugenommen. Wenngleich nach wie vor insbesondere einfache Tätigkeiten in Teilzeit ausgeübt werden, haben immer mehr Erwerbstätige mit einer mittleren oder hohen Qualifikation verkürzte Arbeitszeiten. Teilzeitarbeit hat sich auf immer mehr Berufsfelder und Tätigkeiten ausgebreitet. Für einen Strukturwandel spricht auch, dass sie besonders kräftig unter den Männern zugelegt hat. Dennoch sind verkürzte Arbeitszeiten nach wie vor eindeutig die Domäne von Frauen - und zwar europaweit. Obwohl sich die Teilzeitquoten von Männern und Frauen in Deutschland einander angenähert haben, ist der Unterschied immer noch deutlich größer als in den meisten anderen europäischen Staaten. Große Unterschiede zwischen den Geschlechtern zeigen sich in Deutschland wie generell in der EU hinsichtlich der Gründe für eine Teilzeitbeschäftigung: Bei Frauen sind es vor allem familiäre Motive, bei Männern dagegen eher die berufliche Qualifizierung und insbesondere der Mangel an Vollzeitstellen. Bei nicht wenigen Frauen ist ebenfalls ein unzureichendes Arbeitsplatzangebot ein Grund, sich mit einer Teilzeitstelle zu bescheiden. Trotz der in den letzten Jahren verbesserten Arbeitsmarktlage in Deutschland hat sich die Zahl derjenigen Erwerbstätigen, für die ein Teilzeitjob nur eine Notlösung darstellt, bei reichlich zwei Millionen eingependelt." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

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Hobson, Barbara, Susanne Fahlén & Judit Takács (2011): Agency and capabilities to achieve a work-life balance. A comparison of Sweden and Hungary. In: Social Politics, Jg. 18, H. 2, S. 168-198. DOI:10.1093/sp/jxr012

Abstract

"This study develops a conceptual framework with a capabilities and agency approach for analyzing work-life balance (WLB) applied in two societies (Hungary and Sweden), which have different working time regimes, levels of precarious employment, and gender equality discourses and norms. Inspired by Amartya Sen, we present a model illustrating how agency freedom for WLB depends on multiple resources at the individual, work organizational, institutional, and normative/societal levels. Using a unique qualitative survey conducted in two cities, Budapest and Stockholm, we analyze how mothers and fathers subjectively experience the tensions between family and work demands, and their possibilities for alternative choices (agency freedom). We find similarities in these tensions involving time pressure and time poverty, cutting across gender and education. Our Hungarian parents, nevertheless, experience greater agency inequalities for WLB, which reflect weaker institutional resources (conversion factors) as well as cultural/societal norms that act as constraints for WLB claims in the workplace and household. Our study reveals that Swedish parents, both men and women, express a strong sense of entitlement to exercise rights to care." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Rohwer, Anja (2011): Die Vereinbarkeit von Familie und Beruf im europäischen Vergleich. In: Ifo-Schnelldienst, Jg. 64, H. 10, S. 28-32.

Abstract

"Familien sehen sich immer häufiger verschiedensten Herausforderungen gegenübergestellt, wenn sie versuchen, Familie und Beruf miteinander zu vereinbaren. In diesem Beitrag werden die Ergebnisse einiger Studien vorgestellt, die europäische Unternehmen im Hinblick auf familienfreundliche Personalpolitik befragten. Demnach weisen die meisten europäischen Unternehmen dem Thema 'Familienfreundlichkeit' einen hohen Stellenwert zu." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

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Sandor, Eszter (2011): Part-time work in Europe. European Company Survey 2009. Dublin, 59 S. DOI:10.2806/116

Abstract

"Non-standard employment and, more particularly, part-time work has been increasing worldwide for the past two decades. This trend has been especially strong in Europe, where the issue of different working time arrangements is an important part of the discussion among policymakers and social partners, and something which the European Union (EU) has promoted to increase flexibility for workers and employers. However, part-time work is spread very unevenly across Member States, reflecting differences in legislation, infrastructure and cultural conventions. This report uses data from the fourth European Working Conditions Survey and the second Company Survey." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Abstract

"In 2010, average collectively agreed weekly working time in the European Union stood at 38 hours. The figure was 0.4 hours lower in the pre-2004 EU15 and 1.7 hours higher in the new Member States. Agreed normal annual working time averages around 1,708 hours - around 1,693 hours in the EU15 and 1,797 in the new Member States. Of three sectors examined, agreed weekly hours are longest in metalworking and local government (37.8 hours), and shortest in banking (37.3 hours). Average collectively agreed paid annual leave entitlement stood at 25.4 days across the EU in 2010, being higher among countries in the EU15 (where it was 25.6 days) than in the 12 new Member States (24.1 days)." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))