Recent findings by Perspective Research (employed by the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations) concluded that many mothers are shunning full-time work because they want to spend time with their children.
The study, which sought to find out what women want in childcare, discovered instead that part-time work seemed to be desired by many mothers. The report suggests that improving the quality of childcare (a Rudd Government priority) might not be enough to convince parents to use it, since part-time work or flexibility of work is a common goal.
“This was because they enjoyed being with them or thought it the best option for the child”, the report stated.
These findings are certainly not a shock to many women seeking work-life balance. The majority of working mothers writing and seeking advice seem to feel guilty and rushed, even while they strive to do their best for their family.
While some mothers are happy working part-time, there are many who are still trying to find a way to balance paid work and family life.
Leanne, who struggles herself with working hours and a young family says, “a lot of my female work-mates feel that there is added pressure at work to make sure that family life doesn’t affect their work, and so we are working harder and longer hours to keep up with the men and avoiding talking about our kids and taking time off to spend time with them.”
She believes that her daughters, once grown, should lobby for more flexible working arrangements: more part-time (school hours) or job-shared roles, or work from home possibilities.
There is an underlying need for employers and government to acknowledge their responsibility for ensuring flexible initiatives come into practice. While governments are addressing paid childcare as the only need, the desire for more flexibility in the workplace will go unmet.
Lifestyle Careers (www.lifestylecareers.com.au) is a highly targeted Job Board: the only one of its kind in Australia. Our very specific focus is on Australian Professionals seeking a flexible job and increased work-life balance. By specialising in this group, we provide employers with access to a market segment of talent who are actively looking to work flexibly or in less traditional ways. Our intention is to be at the leading edge of this change.
(Image 
aturkus)
Leah Gibbs is the Founder and Business Manager of Lifestyle Careers.
Lifestyle Careers is an online recruitment job board. Our niche and specific focus is the advertising of flexible employment and work at home positions. It is designed for professionals wanting to balance their work and personal life.
{ 3 trackbacks }
{ 0 comments… add one now }