Formal and informal workplace support for new fathers in Spain

Most studies on work–life support at workplaces consider work–life balance to be a women’s issue, either explicitly or implicitly. This chapter analyses how fathers who are involved caregivers are supported or hindered in attaining work–life balance by their workplaces. It explores the following three questions: (1) why fathers value some job adaptations over others compared with mothers; (2) how organizational cultures influence the work–life balance of new fathers and (3) what differences exist across public and private sectors as well as large versus small companies. A qualitative approach with three discussion groups and 22 involved fathers enables us to explore these issues for large companies, public sector workplaces and small businesses. We find that tight time schedules, flextime, telework, schedule control and fully paid nontransferable leaves of absence constitute policies that favor involved fatherhood, while measures without wage replacement generate fear of penalization in the workplace and do not fit the persistent relevance of the provider role. In addition, un-similar supervisors, envy, lack of understanding and gender stereotypes among co-workers and clients constitute cultural barriers at the workplace level. Contrary to our expectations, small businesses may offer a better work–life balance than large companies, while the public sector is not always as family-friendly as assumed.2017-1

Work-Life Balance: Does it matter for men? Challenges for working fathers

Based on three discussion groups conducted in Barcelona, Madrid and Seville in 2016 and on recent statistical data, this paper explores the barriers and possibilities that involved fathers encounter at their workplaces when they enter parenthood. Involved fathers are defined as those who adapt their working time, work schedule or workplace to parenting, or those who have a job that allows for work-life balance. In addition, they form dual-earner couples with a full-time working partner and spend at least two hours at weekdays caring for their children. Fathers from public sector enterprises, medium to large private companies and small businesses participated in one discussion group respectively. This qualitative and quantitative analysis shows that working in tight shifts (mornings mainly), as well as schedule flexibility, telework and paid paternity leaves are the measures mostly used by the interviewed fathers, and by Spanish fathers in general. In addition, the use of schedule flexibility and telework display very low gender gaps in contrast to opting for unpaid and transferable leaves or the use of statutory entitlement to reduced workhours. Under certain circumstances supervisors and coworkers attitudes are described as hostile to the adoption of support measures. Some clear policy recommendations arise from this study, should the aim be to foster work-life balance for fathers and mothers but without having unintended consequences on gender inequality.2017-1

Caring fathers in Europe: Toward universal caregiver families?

Increasingly, men are challenging the assumption that care is a feminine task and are involving themselves in childcare and the care of dependent adults. However, this does not necessarily have consequences for their work, as they very rarely make costly adaptations in their working lives. In this study, we propose a definition of a man in care (MIC) as a working father who, in order to meet care needs, has adapted his working life in a way that potentially entails a financial penalty. We analyze the prevalence of men in care among men living with children below the age of 15 across the EU-27 plus Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, and the UK using recent representative data (the European Labour Survey and its 2018 ad hoc module on work-life balance). We find that although the number of men engaging in costly work adaptations is still very low when compared to their female counterparts, the characteristics of these men can be clearly outlined: they have a non-manual occupation (managers excluded), they have temporary contracts or are self-employed, they are partnered to women who hold jobs of 40 or more hours a week and have a high educational attainment, and they work in family-friendly companies. Also, at the context level, the prevalence of MIC is clearly related to gender equality and values. However, we do not find evidence of any country having reached the universal caregiver model proposed by Nancy Fraser, including those with more advanced gender and welfare regimes

The division of domestic work in Spain : is undoing gender possible ?

This article studies thirty - three dual - income Spanish childless heterosexual couples who were undoing gender in routine domestic work. We understand “undoing gender” as defined by Deutsch (2007): “social interactions that reduce gender difference”. The d ual - earner couples came from different socio - economic backgrounds and were inte rviewed in four different Spanish towns in 2011. The analysis shows that resources in a wide sense , time availability, external help, ideas about fairness, and complex gender attitudes are key interdependent factors that together may form different paths l eading to a non - mainstream division of housework. Four paths are identified: the first two are based on beliefs in gender equality and on ideas about fairness equal responsibility and equal leisure; the third is characterized by conflict; and the fourth re lies on commodification. The ways in which these couples are undoing gender illustrate the external, individual and couple circumstances spouses succeed to achieve a more gender - equal construction of unpaid wor

Padres comprometidos con los cuidados infantiles

En este capítulo ofrecemos una descripción en profundidad de un grupo de padres que fueron estudiados entre los años 2011 y 2013 en cuatro ciudades españolas: Barcelona, Madrid, Pamplona y Sevilla. Se trata de un trabajo de investigación cualitativa longitudinal, porque se entrevistaron parejas heterosexuales de dos ingresos en dos momentos de su ciclo vital. Primero durante el embarazo de su primera criatura y después cuando ésta tenía aproximadamente un año y medio de vida (González y Jurado-Guerrero, 2015). Encontramos veintiún padres implicados en los cuidados de sus hijos e hijas que ejercen este tipo de paternidad debido a diversas motivaciones y circunstancias. Consideramos que conocer los factores que determinan su mayor propensión a involucrarse en los cuidados puede ser clave para impulsar políticas públicas a favor de la igualdad de género y del fomento de las masculinidades cuidadoras. Este capítulo se plantea la pregunta de cómo se construyen las paternidades comprometidas y qué otros tipos de paternidades se desarrollan entre las parejas estudiadas.2019-2

Políticas y culturas organizacionales que facilitan la implicación de los padres en los cuidados

Buena parte de estudios sobre conciliación de empleo y vida personal asumen que el reto atañe básicamente a las mujeres. Este artículo analiza el apoyo y dificultades que encuentran los hombres comprometidos con el cuidado de sus menores en sus empleos cuando intentan conciliar. Tratamos de responder a las siguientes preguntas: (a) por qué estos padres aprecian más algunas adaptaciones laborales sobre otras; (b) cómo influyen las culturas organizacionales en su conciliación corresponsable; y (c) qué diferencias existen en cuanto a tamaño y titularidad de las organizaciones en donde trabajan. Hemos optado por una metodología cualitativa basada en grupos de discusión con padres comprometidos empleados en la administración pública, grandes y pequeñas empresas del ámbito privado. Los resultados muestran que el diseño de las políticas y culturas organizacionales interactúa e influye en cómo concilian los nuevos padres, habiendo encontrado pequeñas empresas de nueva creación que presentan mejores condiciones para conciliar corresponsablemente que las grandes.Proyecto IMPLICA, subvencionado por la Agencia Estatal de Investigación (CSO2014-58754-P).2022-2

The transition to parenthood in Spain: Adaptations to ideals

The experience of the transition to parenthood in Spain in this edited volume is strongly influenced by the economic crisis, 2008-2014. The vast majority of the couples interviewed for this study spoke about the precariousness of the labour market, job insecurity and not being able to make ends meet on just one pay-check. When the interviewed Spanish parents-to-be added all the leaves they were entitled to – 16 weeks of maternity leave, two weeks of paternity leave, two to four weeks of breastfeeding leave and holiday leave – they ended up with approximately 6 months of paid leave. After that, in most cases, both parents had to return to paid work because of economic reasons. Despite most couples expressing reluctance to send under 1-year-olds to childcare centres, the interviewed parents-to-be planned to combine different kinds of care in the second half of the first year of their child’s life. Mothers planned to take part-time parental leave while using childcare services and asking grandparents for help with the child during their paid work hours. Spanish ideals about good motherhood and fatherhood were still rather traditional. In the interviews, mothers were considered ‘by nature’ closer to the child and responsible for childcare. Yet, we also saw signs of the ‘new fatherhood’ ideal, constructed in opposition to previous generations of distanced fathers. Some men were willing to become very involved in childcare and planned to adapt their jobs. In addition, the economic crisis was mirrored in the emergence of a group of ‘crisis dads’, consisting of unemployed men who envisioned themselves as the main carer in response to not being able to be the main provider.2016-1

SMEs who facilitate co-responsible work-life balance to men

The novelty of this work lies in analysing the conditions that favour a co-responsible worklife balance to men who are fathers and how it can be explained that some Spanish companies are innovating in this direction. We will focus on the qualitative analysis of 11 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the main productive fabric in Spain. We have compared the evolution of companies over time and also similar companies in terms of economic sector. This has allowed us to understand the most relevant internal and external factors. The results show that dialoguing and transforming leadership and the organizational culture marked by the compromise-trust tandem are key elements for understanding how business policies can be implemented for co-responsible worklife balance.La novedad de este trabajo reside en analizar cómo son las condiciones que favorecen una conciliación corresponsable de los hombres que son padres y cómo se explica que haya empresas españolas que están innovando en esa dirección. Se sigue la estrategia cualitativa en 11 pequeñas y medianas empresas (pymes), principal tejido productivo en España. Se ha comparado la evolución de las empresas a lo largo del tiempo y también empresas similares del mismo sector económico. Esto nos ha permitido comprender los factores internos y externos más relevantes. Los resultados muestran que el liderazgo dialogante y transformador y la cultura organizativa marcada por el tándem compromiso-confianza son elementos clave para entender cómo se pueden llegar a implementar políticas empresariales para la conciliación corresponsable

Pymes que facilitan la conciliación corresponsable a los hombres

La novedad de este trabajo reside en analizar cómo son las condiciones que favorecen una conciliación corresponsable de los hombres que son padres y cómo se explica que haya empresas españolas que están innovando en esa dirección. Se sigue la estrategia cualitativa en 11 pequeñas y medianas empresas (pymes), principal tejido productivo en España. Se ha comparado la evolución de las empresas a lo largo del tiempo y también empresas similares del mismo sector económico. Esto nos ha permitido comprender los factores internos y externos más relevantes. Los resultados muestran que el liderazgo dialogante y transformador y la cultura organizativa marcada por el tándem compromiso-confianza son elementos clave para entender cómo se pueden llegar a implementar políticas empresariales para la conciliación corresponsable.2020-2