We spent one year interviewing over 100 Gen Y:ers in five countries about work-life issues. Most often, our interviewees had never given the topic much actual, practical thought prior to our interview. But as soon as they got to talking it was like opening the flood-gates! American Y:ers were often shocked to learn how limited their options were, especially compared to what is available to their European peers.

It became obvious that balance was very much on the agenda with these young people, but that they had no idea how to advocate or move towards it in their own lives, or for society at large. And a lot of that is due to ignorance about the real implications of the status quo- which is where much of the inherent resistance that you’re talking about comes from.

Yes, employers retain a lot of power, but employers ultimately need qualified employees. What’s more, a lot of research (Pam Stone knows about this as well) shows that flexibility, for instance, is good for the bottom line. We may sound very naive at times, but we’re well aware that changes won’t happen because they’re “right” or “humane,” but because they make business sense.

We’re working to raise awareness about this question and hope Gen Y can, as a generation, get riled up enough to makes some real changes.

- Astri

Thank you for your support.

Yes, you are exactly right: so much can depend on changes in the margin. But, in order for people to dare to ask for those kinds of changes, flexible work options need to be de-stigmatized. Unfortunately, some flexible options are– as Pamela Stone also confirmed– “gendered,” which in turn has a negative effect. For instance, working from home is considered more gender neutral while working part-time is seen as “feminine.” And, you guessed it, a “feminine” connotation like that is likely to harm your career (just think of the “mommy track”).

A lot of this hinges on attitudinal change. But if we look at rising generations of workers, who have increasingly egalitarian outlooks in general, those changes may be on the horizon.

Let’s hope so.

Best,

Astri

What we have found in our work with people reentering the workforce after long career breaks, is that definitions are important. For example, if someone tells me they want to return to work “part time,” I always ask them to define what they mean by part time. More often than not, they are referring to face time in the office during business hours; that’s what they need to limit or adjust. Sheer numbers of hours worked are often acceptable to the “part timer” if some of them can be done from home or at odd hours.

Thank you Liz and Astri for your excellent work – both on video and on this blog.

–Carol Fishman Cohen
Co-author, Back on the Career Track
Co-founder, http://www.iRelaunch.com

The main issue is that part-time shouldn’t have to dead-end your career, the way it now does. Many women who need to work part-time for a period of time because they are still the ones to shoulder the majority of caregiving responsibilities suffer severe penalties when it comes to their career in the future.

Finally: as a Swede, I must say that a lack of European innovation is another myth. Entrepreneurship is well and thriving in socialist Sweden. And, from the interviews that we conducted with young people on both sides of the Atlantic, it actually appears as though the future generation of workers in European countries are as, if not more, inclined to want to start businesses of their own as their American counterparts. Surprising? Perhaps. A lot has changed. Your analysis makes more sense as of two decades ago. A place like Sweden is, today, quite a good place to both live and do business. And its capital, Stockholm, tops economist Richard Florida’s lists on the “creativity index”…

- Astri

Same thing goes for our “high” living standards. I suppose it depends on what you view as high living standards. The ability to purchase more cheap stuff? OR actually being able to take and enjoy 4 weeks of vacation, the ability to take several months off to take care of a new born baby, the freedom not to worry about health care if you lose your job.

As far as unemployment, consider this article and graph in the New York Times, which supports the claim that the US unemployment rate may soon go above Europe’s: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/23/business/economy/23charts.html?_r=1.

- Liz