Family-Friendliness in German Business

The Company Survey on Reconciliation of Work and Family Life 2013 shows that German businesses are continuing to devote considerable attention to the reconciliation of work and family life. This applies not only to the almost 30 per cent of companies which cultivate a distinctively family-friendly attitude but also to three quarters of those that do not. As in previous surveys, the most prominent measures for promoting the work-life balance are: flexible working time models and part-time employment, considering the needs of working parents when planning work processes, and backing those bringing up children or taking care of relatives the appropriate leave. The average of 9.6 specific policies adopted by enterprises with a recognisably family-friendly corporate culture is significantly higher than the 5.9 measures implemented by firms with a less family-oriented attitude. The survey also reveals that companies characterised by a higher level of commitment to the family score better in various indicators of economic success than relatively inactive enterprises. However, it is an open question whether a commitment to family-friendliness has a positive effect on a company’s results or whether, on the contrary, economic success is conducive to family-friendly policies. Certainly, no significant correlation between a family-friendly corporate culture and company success has been established.