What needs to happen for companies to understand that helping people balance their working and personal lives ultimately benefits everyone? And which measures and strategies actually work? A work-life balance expert shares the advice she gives companies and what works for her as a single mother with a young child.
We do not live and study simply to work. More and more of us are recognising this. People under 40 make up more than 60% of the labour market. These generations already see work-life balance as an essential and natural part of their quality of life. Society and the labour market are changing. Finding that balance is everyone’s responsibility. However, employers, the state and other institutions should create the conditions that allow us to work and live well. After all, every organisation is made up of people. We are all responsible for ourselves and for the society we live in.
The pandemic brought into focus the difficult, often seemingly impossible task of balancing work and care faced by single mothers and parents of young children in general. Yet we all go through different stages of life, each with different needs. Whether we are students, expectant mothers, parents caring for young children, going through a divorce, looking after a sick family member or enjoying life as grandparents, we all have responsibilities to balance. Whether we are enthusiastic young adults, experienced professionals or older people with a lifetime of wisdom, whatever else we do in life, finding that balance concerns us all.
Companies lead the way
Companies often set the trends, responding to the needs of society and the market far more flexibly than the state or public institutions. It is in their interests, too. If they want good people in their organisations, it makes sense to pay attention to their needs. Good companies function as communities. They have the power to move the world forward and change it. They influence their employees and, indirectly, their families. The state sometimes lags behind because of its rigidity and structure, but excellent strategies and projects are emerging in the public sector as well.
The gender pay gap widens sharply after women take parental leave. The effects then follow them throughout their lives: lower wages, shorter working hours, lower contributions and smaller pensions…
The state’s main role is to avoid putting obstacles in companies’ way.
Childcare groups are one example. Companies were already addressing the need for care for children too young to attend nursery before these groups were formally established. The Ministry of Labour did an excellent job: a strategic approach and European funding helped create a network of childcare facilities that had previously been missing. But when the time came to provide follow-on co-funding from the national budget, the state threw a spanner in the works. That was a big mistake.
Another example is the long-standing demand for working from home. Some companies offered it long before legislation caught up. And thanks to COVID, we discovered that it really can work. We are also seeing its downsides. But companies do not have time to wait for the necessary legislation, which often imposes rigid rules on the realities of working life.
Who will help single mothers?
COVID also exposed just how vulnerable single parents are in the labour market. Single mothers in particular struggle with a lack of money, time and opportunities for self-care, as well as the simple fact that they have to manage everything on their own. They often take jobs that do not match their qualifications, skills or experience. The gender pay gap is another significant problem. It widens sharply after women take parental leave. Before that, the differences are less pronounced, but afterwards the consequences follow them: lower wages, shorter working hours, lower social insurance contributions and smaller pensions…
Are working parents able to achieve the work-life balance they need?
Working parents generally struggle to find ways to avoid exhaustion, stop giving all their energy to others, lead happy and fulfilling lives, and make time for themselves. People often fail to set aside even ten minutes a day for themselves.
Returning to work after having children is not the only critical period parents face. Divorce and separation place enormous strain on families. Parental divorce rates are highest when children are around three and seven years old. These are particularly challenging stages in relationships and turning points in childcare arrangements. After parental leave, a child finally starts nursery, or later begins primary school, and suddenly everything changes. The pandemic disrupted patterns of divorce and separation even further.
Facing life on my own
I am currently going through this critical stage myself. I returned from parental leave six months ago. I have a new job, a new flat and am going through a divorce. Unfortunately, having a young child did not spare me the breakdown of my marriage. Perhaps the more you know about these situations, the more shocked you are when they happen to you.
So I, too, am looking for the best ways to balance work and care, now as a single mother. I have chosen a combination of different working arrangements. I work on a self-employed basis, hold a part-time position and take on short-term work under Czech work agreements. My field is work-life balance in both the private and public sectors.
The biggest challenge I faced was leaving my job and becoming a freelancer, knowing I had no support at home. I was stepping into the unknown. I did not know how I would cope. Three months passed before I was offered a role with a small number of hours at one company, followed by another similar position. Meanwhile, I had to move into a new flat, pay a deposit and furnish it. My income dropped from parental allowance to nothing, while my living costs rose. I used up most of my savings, but I managed. Now I am looking forward to things running as they should, and I finally feel more settled.
I currently work with several companies and non-profit organisations, as well as the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs and the City of Litoměřice. As a consultant and trainer, I focus on supporting employees’ mental health, family-friendly policies, sustainable development and support for single parents. Together, these roles amount to roughly one full-time job. I also volunteer on personal projects and co-founded the Život do firmy initiative, which aims to encourage more people-centred companies and help create a world where we can work and live well.
A support network
What helps me manage family and working life? Support from the wider family is crucial for parents. Wherever possible, it is worth maintaining family ties and drawing on them when needed. Family can serve as a primary support network. In my case, it is largely thanks to my family that I manage. We live in the same town, and my son has all his grandparents and even great-grandparents. When the pandemic affected children at his nursery, he spent most of his time with his grandparents.
My former partner and I currently share care: our son spends two days a week with him, and we alternate weekends. Having this kind of family support is a huge stroke of luck. We also have a good network of friends around us when needed. A supportive community is fundamental to achieving a good balance. My advice to single parents is not to isolate themselves, but to draw on their family ties and friendships. Neighbourly support can work in cities, too, and parents whose children attend the same nursery or school can help one another.
Many companies already keep working with parents on maternity and parental leave and include them in their plans.
Another difficult part of the separation was getting used to being away from my child when he is with his dad. I know that in the future I will appreciate having time to myself, but right now I am still coming to terms with it. At the moment, it feels unnatural to me for such young children to be away from their mothers. This issue often comes up in our work with single mothers when we discuss alternating custody. Now I have experienced for myself how mothers in this situation feel. I have many questions about alternating custody and its benefits for children.
Out of work after parental leave
High unemployment among women returning from parental leave is a problem. Many who had a job before their first maternity leave never return to their original position. Several factors contribute to this. A three- to six-year career break is a long time, particularly given how quickly things change in the business world. In some industries, a company can be completely different after just a few years. Women on parental leave are often left out of organisational charts altogether. Team leadership changes, the new manager does not know their former colleague or have any relationship with her, the position is abolished, and the woman often ends up leaving the company.
Another major reason is that women reassess their priorities during parental leave as their lives change. Parental leave can be a valuable career break and an opportunity for a new direction. Women often decide to start a business or move into another field.
What can be done? The answer lies in managing maternity and parental leave properly. Many companies already keep working with parents on leave and include them in their plans. Parents retain the equipment they need, their benefits and access to training. They remain on the organisational chart, receive priority offers of temporary and part-time work, are invited to team and company events, and are kept informed about developments at the company. They remain part of the organisation, which continues to treat them as employees. That can work.
But there is an important caveat: everyone has the right to choose whether to work or focus on care. We cannot force everyone to stay involved. It should always be entirely voluntary. If caring is someone’s priority, that must be respected.
Both choices come with challenges. For maternity and parental leave management to work well, companies need effective arrangements for flexible working, working from home and part-time roles. Ideally, they also contribute to childcare costs.
A major problem with part-time work is undervaluing it. Pay is often simply reduced in proportion to working hours, while the workload and expected results remain out of step with the lower remuneration. This is compounded by the effect of lower part-time earnings on women’s pensions. In Czech society, mothers still tend to take on most caring responsibilities. Men rarely work part-time. In some countries, part-time work undertaken while children are under 15 counts as full-time work for pension purposes. I would very much like to see that here.
Mothers caught in a downward spiral
Single mothers are particularly vulnerable to undervaluing themselves. In a crisis, they often accept work that does not match their qualifications, experience or skills, simply to secure some income or flexibility. Once they do, it can be difficult to break out. They become trapped in a cycle of being undervalued. Development programmes do exist to support single parents in the labour market. Aperio runs projects specifically supporting single parents, and I mentor on one of them.
I believe every woman should also make time for herself, recognise her worth, take care of herself and understand her priorities. Negotiation skills are useful in job interviews: knowing what alternatives are available, what factors are involved and how far you are willing to compromise while still feeling comfortable.
I can recommend what has worked for me. I sketch out and write down what my ideal situation would look like. I am also learning not to be afraid to ask. There is no harm in asking or trying. Then I am pleasantly surprised when things work out.
A few years ago, I imagined working with different institutions and having our own well-being studio. Now that is my reality. Above all, I am learning to understand myself and my needs, express them and avoid acting against my own interests. I encounter prejudices, stereotypes and different opinions, but I do not give up.
My mentor once asked me a wonderful question: what would I do if I had no limitations? It is good to let yourself dream. Single mothers, although not only single mothers, often accept limitations that do not actually exist outside their own minds. As they gradually remove them, they can finally spread their wings.
Together with the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, we ran a wonderful workshop called “Parental Leave as an Opportunity to Spread Your Wings”. That is another way to view this stage of life. Parenthood and relationships are important phases in which we learn a great deal about ourselves, our patterns, attitudes, weaknesses and strengths.
Diversity starts with people
It makes a big difference when employers recognise that supporting work-life balance and caring for their people is in their own interests, too. A strategic, project-based and, above all, human approach works best. The foundations of successful work-life balance within a company include education and awareness for managers and staff, a range of practical tools, a friendly company culture, open communication, good leadership, an interest in people, and an understanding of the labour market and society’s needs.
Changing mindsets is like writing in the sand during a sandstorm. I have to write the same thing again and again. It takes painstaking work.
Supporting work-life balance does not necessarily involve major financial costs. It is about changing mindsets and shaping company culture. Changing mindsets is like writing in the sand during a sandstorm. I have to write the same thing again and again. It takes painstaking work. We encounter deeply rooted social stereotypes, which is why diversity within teams, including diversity of age and gender, is so important.
A diverse group of people brings different approaches and helps dismantle myths. A key factor in success is enlightened leadership, or at least leadership that is receptive to the issue, alongside enthusiastic champions, usually from HR or CSR, who actively move things forward. This leads organisations to establish teams and programmes focused on well-being, work-life balance, employer branding, diversity and related areas.
Needs and potential
Fortunately, I have not personally had to face discrimination at work. I have been lucky and have always received support from my employers. I have encountered enlightened leaders who believe in supporting capable women who want to have children. They recognise that women returning from parental leave bring many new skills, are loyal and understand their priorities and values in life. That is extremely valuable to a company.
Women have enormous potential. They connect with one another, collaborate naturally and work in partnership rather than competition. A colleague once told me that one day we would outpace men because we are always coming up with ideas, connecting and creating. We bring feminine principles into society and have an equal role in shaping our shared future. The problem is that we are still trying to fit into a male-oriented environment. That is not the way forward. The solution is a new way of working that is slowly but surely taking shape.
We should identify the needs of different groups and offer the right combination of work-life balance measures for each life situation. After all, balancing work and personal life concerns everyone, and no one should be treated less favourably. It is about creating a supportive environment and opportunities for all.
This article was written for HEROINE.
https://www.heroine.cz/zena-a-svet/4999-jak-sladuje-praci-a-peci-expertka-na-sladovani-prace-a-pece-jde-o-zmenu-mysleni