Whitepaper 2-2022: Kids or Career? Switzerland’s unnecessary Dilemma
Advance and McKinsey have joint forces to shed light onto the far-reaching implications of career breaks and part-time work for women. In addition to analyzing the status quo, the white paper provides concrete recommendations for action for governments, companies and individuals.
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The professional careers of most women are characterized by interruptions. The most common reason for this – the birth of a child. After that, there is hardly any upward trend in the career. In this context, higher female labor force participation could accelerate Switzerland’s economic growth: If Swiss women continued to work after the birth of a child to the same extent as in Sweden, for example, where the female full-time employment rate is 66%, as opposed to 56.7% in Switzerland, this would increase Swiss GDP by 6%, or CHF 33 billion. Can we afford to waste these resources in times of skills shortages?
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THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTS AT A GLANCE
The study by Advance and McKinsey is based on a survey of around 600 well-qualified, working women in Switzerland and was supplemented with other relevant research findings and statistics.
STATUS QUO HAS A HIGH PRICE
- According to the survey, 83% of working women experience a career interruption of 12 months on average, over 70% of them after the birth of a child.
- If these women subsequently decide to work part-time, this has long-term professional and financial consequences: For example, the average lifetime income of women is currently 43% lower than that of men, which also has an impact on retirement provision and results in a 35% lower pension income.
- In addition to lower earnings, the implementation of the work-life balance is a particular source of concern for women.
- Furthermore, the return is very often also associated with the loss of leadership positions, responsibility and support from mentors and sponsors.
old pattern are entrenched
- According to the survey, 57% of women switch to part-time work after a break, primarily to ensure a work-life balance.
- By comparison, according to the Federal Statistical Office (FSO), only 18% of Swiss men work part-time, and according to the Gender Intelligence Report, only 5% work less than 80% of the time.
- The resulting discrepancy in labor force participation not only negatively affects women’s career prospects and financial situation, but also entrenches their role as primary caregivers. In addition, lower earning power can lead to lifelong financial dependence on the full-time working partner.
well positioned
- Actually, Switzerland is well positioned to boost women’s earning power.
- Not only does it have a large pool of highly qualified women, but it also has a growing number of corporate and public sector leaders who are committed to balancing the gender gap and promoting diversity.
- And last but not least, there is now a generation of women – and men – who want to break out of the mold of traditional gender roles.
WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE?
Die Studie bietet konkrete Handlungsempfehlungen für Staat, Unternehmen und Individuen, um einen entscheidenden Schritt weiterzukommen.
At the federal, cantonal, and municipal levels, for example, an expanded, more affordable, and flexible child care system would allow mothers to take shorter career breaks and return to work more quickly. Reforming maternity and paternity leave could reduce the need for women to take additional unpaid breaks and would improve their career opportunities.
Companies could provide targeted exit and re-entry support for mothers, as well as create alternatives to linear, uninterrupted advancement models. Corporate culture could also be addressed, for example, to reduce unconscious bias and promote the development of supportive supervisors. In addition, companies could grant longer parental leave and offer childcare support – measures that multinational companies are already successfully implementing.
Cultural initiatives: Role models are hard to shake off: 70% of women in the survey say they feel stigmatized as working mothers in Switzerland. What is needed here is a joint initiative by governments, businesses, NGOs, media and academia to change perceptions of the role of women and mothers, destigmatize full-time and near-full-time working mothers, and promote childcare as a shared responsibility in partnership. Numerous studies already exist that debunk the myth that children of working mothers are less happy, highlighting fathers as “one of the best but most underutilized resources for child development.”
At the individual level, women could prepare more consciously for career breaks, always keeping their return to work in mind. Men are also called upon: They should insist on equal participation in childcare and stand up for their rights and duties as working fathers in the workplace.
LET’S SOLVE THE DILEMMA – TOGETHER!
It is very important to us that the findings of this study reach as many decision-makers as possible. Because only together can we solve the “child or career” dilemma.
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In the media
The magazine “Annabelle” picked up on the study and conducted an interview with the co-editors Alkistis Petropaki, General Manager Advance and Anna Mattsson, Partner at McKinsey & Company. “Im System gefangen” (imprisoned by the system), such is the pointed title of the greatly illustrated article. A must read for all German speakers!
Read the interview
“Lagging gender equality has a big price”, titles SRF 10vor10, Switzerland’s national news format. Watch this interesting report juxtaposing Switzerland and Sweden when it comes to combining family and career.
Watch 10vor10 report
QUESTIONS? SUGGESTIONS?IDEAS?
For questions, feedback, and inspiration for additional white papers in our series, please contact Sabrina Durante: sabrina.durante@weadvance.ch.
We would love to hear from you.
