Turning work-life balance into reality in Spain
Awareness-raising campaigns, counsel to companies, education in co-responsibility… These are some of the measures included in the Work-Life Balance Plans designed by 15 Spanish municipalities and 2 Norwegian within the framework of the Equilibrio-Balance Project, co-financed by the EEA Grants.
17.02.2015
Work-life balance is still a pending subject in Spain. Equilibrio-Balance Project, promoted by the Women’s Institute and for Equal Opportunities and co-financed by the EEA Grants, is trying to contribute to the progress towards balance.
Almería, Cabezón de la Sal, Cambre, Madrid, Mérida, Torrepacheco, Cádiz, Candeleda, Majadahonda, Barakaldo, Pedro Múñoz y Verín are the 12 Spanish municipalities which along with Hamar and Kristiansand in Norway have been selected to implement Work-Life Balance Plans within this Project. Furthermore, three municipalities that took part in the previous phase of the project have also been selected: Ibiza, Jaén y Vilagarcía de Arousa. They have updated their Work-Life Balance and have selected new measures.
The first step was the diagnosis of the situation in each town and its needs in order to design the measures included in the plan. At present, the municipalities are in the design phase and subsequently, they will start with the implementation. In the final stage of the project, conclusions will be laid out so the plans could be exportable to similar cities.
In the workshop held last November, it became clear that most of the municipalities have already implemented some measures related to work-life balance but they lacked a strategy and a defined plan that ensure the continuity and the involvement of all parties. Amongst the measures selected to be carried out, the most notorious are awareness-raising campaigns about the importance of balance between personal and professional life, but also technical assistance to companies or educating the young in co-responsibility. Other measures, requested by the population itself, are also being implemented such as extending opening hours in schools or play centres, leisure activities for children and young people or promotion of male role in education.
The objective is the involvement of all parties concerned in work-life balance and co-responsibility, not only public authorities, and encouraging the exchange of practices between Spain and Norway. The project also involves the Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces (FEMP) and the Norwegian Association of Local and Regional Authorities (KS).
Equilibrio-Balance is one of the pre-defined projects within the Gender Equality and Work-Life Balance Programme, operated by the Secretary of State for Social Services and Equality through the Women’s Institute and for Equal Opportunities and co-financed by the European Economic Area Financial Mechanism (EEA Grants).