A few weeks ago, Writer Abroad was introduced to one of her husband’s co-workers. He asked
if she had gone back to work (her day job is copywriting) after the
baby was born.
“Yes, after a six month leave, I went back to work 60%,” she said.
“Oh,” he said. “Doing the 'Swiss woman' thing, I see.”
Writer Abroad tells this story because of a recent article
in The Atlantic entitled, Why Women Still Can’t Have It All, by Anne-Marie Slaughter. It discusses why American women with families are still struggling to reach the top of their professions. One of the main reasons is that employers do not place very high value on workers who value their family time (especially those who dare to express it).
Things are a bit different in Switzerland. Some may call it
old-fashioned. Because here, it is still acceptable (even encouraged) for professionals to put
family first. For Writer Abroad, it was no big deal to take a six-month leave from her ad agency in Zurich (also easy to do when health benefits aren’t tied to employment) and come back part-time.
But here’s the interesting thing: in Switzerland, fathers do
the part-time thing too. Writer Abroad knows several couples that recently had children, and
both the mother and father each went back to work at 80% (four days a week). They are engineers and lawyers and journalists. They will
probably go back full-time when their children go to school. In this way, many
professionals in Switzerland already appear to practice the "irregular stair step method," as Slaughter recommends for slightly non-linear career progression.
Of course, there are other aspects of Swiss life that are
far from perfect for women to really have it all. Many schools have varying start times depending on the day of
the week, and many children still have two hour lunch breaks where someone is
expected to be at home to feed them. And store hours aren’t exactly late-night
worker friendly either. All of these things are slowly changing, but it's yet to be seen whether they will change fast enough for Writer Abroad, if she chooses to continue living in Switzerland.
But it does beg the question–is there a place in the world that really has it figured out?
Please, those of you reading this with day jobs, how is family valued in the country you work in? Is your place somewhere where women can have it all?
Funnily enough, I linked to that article yesterday too. It's the best and most reasonable thing I've read for a long time. Germany is very mixed: women can take three years off work for each child and still come to back (some form of a job) and companies support part-time workers. However, the school system doesn't support working families at all: school finishes before lunch! Women do go back to work, which is a good thing, but all this support for part-time and the need to be around for the children in the afternoon, means they aren't making management. The middle and top tiers are skewed strongly towards men. Women who work fulltime AND are in management are either childless or have a supportive partner who has put his career on the back burner.
ReplyDeleteThe ONLY way I have been able to return to work fulltime (after a 12-year break as a freelancing home worker to raise three kids) is pay for an all-day private school. And that is not right.
Saw that article too. As I told someone else I'm weary of the "women can/can't have it all" headlines. No one can have it all - neither men or women. What you have depends a lot on the support network you have and ambition.
ReplyDeleteSounds like Germany and Switzerland are pretty similar as far as part-time work and school issues.
ReplyDeleteWhen I say where do women have it all, it's more about trying to discover the country that gives women the most options to pursue what they desire.
Turkey is a very child-centric culture. There are national holidays specifically devoted to celebrating youth. Women here have the lowest employment rates of any European country. One reason is because it is a conservative culture. Another is that once you've gone ahead and arranged childcare there isn't much left over. So many think, why bother working?
ReplyDeleteAnother big difference I notice between American culture and Turkish culture is that Turkish women still have enormous pride in being an amazing, fabulous housewife. American women, not so much.
life science recruitment
ReplyDeleteThanks for your great information, the contents are quiet interesting.I will be waiting for your next post.
michael kors handbags outlet
ReplyDeleteugg outlet
ugg uk
woolrich outlet
cheap basketball shoes
uggs outlet stores
dolce gabbana outlet
reebok shoes
nike uk
ysl shoes
cheap uggs uk
jimmy choo outlet
uggs outlet online
nike heels
christian louboutin outlet store
mcm handbags
yves saint laurent shoes
tory burch sale
guess handbags
juicy couture handbags
reebok shoes
uggs outlet
babyliss pro
marc jacobs bags
ugg outlet
ReplyDeletemont blanc pen
ugg australia
ugg boots
hollister clothing
timberland boots
timberland canada
burberry scarf
michael kors outlet
ugg australia
ugg slippers
adidas shoes
supra outlet
burberry outlet
tory burch outlet
michael kors outlet online
burberry sale
toms outlet
michael kors outlet online
true religion sale
michael kors
true religion jeans
michael kors outlet
coach factory
chanel outlet online
cheap jerseys wholesale
burberry scarf
coach outlet
abercrombie and fitch
ugg boots
toms canada
fitflops outlet
beats solo
michael kors outlet online
michael kors handbags
michael kors outlet
christian louboutin shoes
timberland shoes
nike nfl jerseys
christian louboutin outlet
the north face jackets
ReplyDeletemont blanc
cheap oakley sunglasses
oakley sunglasses
ray ban sunglasses
toms outlet
true religion jeans, http://www.truereligionoutletstore.us.com
polo lacoste pas cher
insanity
dallas cowboys jersey
ugg boots, http://www.uggboot.com.co
cheap nfl jerseys
michael kors outlet online, http://www.michaelkorsoutletonlinstore.us.com
oakley sunglasses
true religion outlet, http://www.truereligionoutletstore.us.com
burberry outlet
burberry outlet,burberry outlet online,burberry outlet store,burberry factory outlet,burberry sale,burberry
michael kors uk
cheap wedding dresses
coach outlet
nike running shoes
vans shoes
the north face clearance
kate spade handbags
cheap ugg boots, http://www.cheapuggboots.net.co
instyler
cheap oakley sunglasses
los angeles clippers jerseys
lacoste shirts
tiffany and co jewelry
ugg outlet, http://www.uggsoutlet.us.org
oakley sunglasses, http://www.oakleysunglassescanada.com
asics shoes
replica watches
atlanta falcons jersey
timberland boots
achang0812
rolex replica watches
ReplyDeleteunder armour shoes
cheap jordans
fitflops sale clearance
adidas stan smith
yeezy boost 350 black
ray-ban sunglasses
louis vuitton outlet online
canada goose jackets
michael kors outlet
gucci handbags outlet
designer handbags outlet
michael kors outlet clearance
adidas superstar
coach outlet online
chaussure louboutin
designer handbags
christian louboutin shoes
oakey sunglasses wholesale
bottega veneta handbags
nike huarache black
michael kors handbags
wholesale nike shoes
pandora jewelry
nike air max
cheap nike shoes
chi flat iron
oakley sunglasses
gucci borse
bottega veneta
true religion outlet
cheap nfl jerseys
polo ralph lauren outlet
omega watches
ed hardy outlet
2016509yuanyuan
TEN
ReplyDelete0512
michael kors handbags
nike air max 90
ralph lauren outlet
soccer jerseys
beats by dr dre
tiffany jewelry
cartier outlet
fitflops uk
true religion outlet
michael kors outlet
michael kors handbags
air max 90
coach outlet
swarovski jewelry
air max 90
toms outlet
tiffany and co
fitflops shoes
michael kors outlet
reebok shoes
longchamp handbags
michael kors wallet
tiffany and co
mulberry bags
omega outlet
kobe bryant shoes
mulberry outlet
louis vuitton outlet
babyliss pro
toms outlet
tiffany and co
tory burch outlet
babyliss flat iron
polo ralph lauren
birkenstock shoes
ReplyDeleteoakley vault sunglasses
hermes belt
dolce and gabbana outlet online
michael kors handbags outlet
hollister kids
pandora jewelry
michael kors handbags outlet
burberry bags
coach factory outlet online
gucci outlet online
sac longchamp
moncler outlet online
levis 501
cheap ray bans
prada sunglasses
michael kors outlet clearance
adidas pure boost
cheap oakley sunglasses
ralph lauren pas cher
asics gel nimbus
nike free flyknit 3.0
rolex watches
michael kors outlet
burberry handbags
michael kors outlet
coach outlet
burberry outlet
louboutin pas cher
ralph lauren
ugg,uggs,uggs canada
michael kors uk
2016726yuanyuan
nike outlet
ReplyDeletejordan shoes
cheap michael kors handbags
air jordan uk
michael kors outlet online
ed hardy
michael kors handbags
chaussure louboutin
ed hardy uk
michael kors handbags outlet
Head hunters in India
ReplyDeleteHead hunters in Bangalore
Consultany in Bangalore
Serviced Apartments in Bangalore
SEO Services in Bangalore
SEO Services in India
My mother wouldn't release me since she needed me to inhabit home. In all genuineness, she was likely right. I wasn't prepared for school yet. Much to my dismay, remaining at home was the most exceedingly terrible choice of my life. Cash Advance
ReplyDeleteWe tend to rectangular measure covering most of the towns and still providing you with the simplest services inside extraordinarily quick quantity with high notch delight. We are able to trace US 24/7 and you are continuously welcome.
ReplyDeletecheck cashing
I noticed your business opportunity subject matter at Msn and even I’ll without doubt end up once again soon enough obtaining a few more wonderful options. Bless you plenty for any tips. At present go here check cashing Bless you designed for attractive subject matter.
ReplyDeleteThose who are searching over internet 'nursing assignment help' can contact with us now. We are the best assignment writing service provider in Australia. Our Academic assignment writers available 24*7 hours for the students, if you really want to need assignment help online at cheapest price meet our Academic Experts at sample assignment and get high distinction grades with top quality assignment. We are here to help you with 100% plagiarism free assignment Help Adelaide, Australia. We offers lowest price on all kind of essay, case study assignment help, report writing assignment help, and more from 4000+ Ph.D. Experts
ReplyDeleteyeezy shoes
ReplyDeletemichael kors outlet
hermes belt
gucci belts
air max 95
gucci belt
nike react
kobe shoes
curry 6
yeezys
Thanks for sharing the valuable information. In continuation of your excellent web post, I want to tell about a website (My Assignment Services) that provides assignment help services to students at cost effective prices. Whatever be your assignment, essay, reports, dissertation, their experts are sources of every problem that comes your way. They are not just limited to a single domain, instead they will guide you in every assignment related to nursing assignment help, management, engineering, nursing, law, and much more.
ReplyDeleteMy Assignment Services has been consistently delivering and fulfilling the demand of assignment across the world with their assignment help melbourne, Australia, UK, Malaysia, USA, Russia, Canada, UAE, South Africa, Vietnam, Singapore, etc. Whenever it comes to quality assignment help services at affordable prices with satisfied customer satisfaction rating, My Assignment Services would be a good name to call.