Tomorrow March 8 is Working Women’s Day, the holiday of all women and mothers who work at, from and outside the home. So on the eve of this important date that claims gender equality, we wanted to know to what extent progress has been made in joint responsibility in our country.
The survey “How much time do you have for your children?” It is a good measure of how the involvement of parents has progressed in the time and activities they share with their children, as well as the role that the reconciliation of work and personal life, and co-responsible behavior, have in achieving said objective.
The results are not very promising after passing strict confinement: women continue to be the ones who spend the most time on care and housework.
49.21% of women spend 3 hours or more a day caring for their children, compared to 17.31% of men.
Slight rapprochement between the two sexes
This survey is an idea of ARHOE (National Commission for the Rationalization of Spanish Hours), with the purpose of raising awareness about the need for greater involvement of parents (especially parents), in the time and activities they share with their children, as well as the role that the reconciliation of work and personal life, and co-responsible behavior.
The conclusions reveal that the confinement of work at home has meant a change in care routines that has affected more women (60.87%) than men (34.78%).
They have spent more time raising children and doing housework , expressing that this greater workload has been experienced with stress and great fatigue.
Although a slight approach in the time spent by both sexes is being observed, today women are more present in the high dedication bands, with 49.21% those who spend three hours or more, compared to 17.31% of the men.
But there are more conclusions:
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As a result of Covid-19, parents claim to observe a growing trend, on the part of companies, to make flexible hours and teleworking available to their workers : an increase of 37.69 points compared to 2019. They are more men than women who state that their company provides them with said work organization formulas.
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The pandemic has meant a change in care routines that has affected women (60.87%) more than men (34.78%). They state that they have devoted more time to raising children and housework, expressing that this greater workload has been experienced with stress and great fatigue.
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The feelings generated in parents by the inability to give their children adequate attention can be described as dramatic and disturbing. Almost 80% of parents have expressed negative feelings (exhaustion, frustration, stress or helplessness), compared to 15% who have shown positive.
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Gender roles are still very implanted in society. Women express negative feelings, in relation to the time they spend with their children, to a greater extent than men do.
- 29.42% of women and 29.03% of men consider that the distribution of care and domestic tasks is “not very balanced” or “not balanced”.
This statement is corroborated when 77.78% of men declare that women are the most involved , thus considering themselves 97.50%.
- Work, to a greater extent for men, and fatigue, stress, domestic chores and the inappropriateness of working hours for schoolchildren, for women, are the greatest obstacles manifested to achieve conciliation and thus be able to dedicate more time to your children.
Respect for the difficulties expressed in 2019, women now feel more the effect of the lack of coordination between work and school schedules, work, fatigue and stress, the burden of housework, hobbies and leisure. For their part, men do not consider that there is any pressure greater than before.
Solutions to reconcile work and family
According to the answers collected in the survey, 98% of parents know what to do to get more time to dedicate to their children , such as organizing and planning work better or hiring outside help.
Likewise, it is noteworthy to observe that 26.80% declare that “distributing tasks more equitably with my partner” is a measure that would allow them to dedicate more time to minors.
But they also need the collaboration of companies:
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Time flexibility for entry and exit.
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Adaptation of working hours to schoolchildren
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Facilitate teleworking.
However, there are differences by sex:
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Women ask the Government and companies to educate for equality and co-responsibility , financial aid for the care of children or dependents, reduction of the working day during school holidays and exits for emergencies or ease of choosing vacations.
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Men advocate digital disconnection or reduced meal times.
Mariano Ruipérez, author of the report, points out that “the survey has allowed, one more year, that parents can reflect on the time they spend with their children.”
“It helps them to identify the barriers that prevent them from reaching a satisfactory level of relationship with them.
We have also explored what they could do, what is in their power to achieve that goal, and what, in their view, companies and governments could do to facilitate it. “
For his part, José Luis Casero, president of ARHOE, points out that “it is essential to continue raising awareness of a reality on which we must act immediately” :
“The results confirm, once again, that women continue to be the ones who dedicate the most time to care and housework , to the detriment of their professional development, a situation that has intensified during the pandemic.”
Photos | iStock
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