Supporting male carers in selected financial institutions and energy companies in Iceland and Norway

Abstract

The article addresses how four companies in Iceland and Norway support male employees in their caring role. The findings are based on interviews with human recourse managers, male workers, and their spouses in a financial institution and an energy company in each of the countries. Flexible working hours and the possibility to work from home were thought to be important supportive measures. Shorter working hours also gave the male employees a greater opportunity to com bine work and care. Interviewees also described a culture of support from managers and placed emphasis on the importance of managers being role models, for example by making use of paid parental leave or leaving work early to pick children up from daycare or school. However, flexibility could come as a cost. At times, the employees had to work after hours and often the boundaries between work and family life were blurred. Some expressed a heavy workload and the will to strive as an employee worked against the company policies of creating a family-friendly work environment. The loss of income, while on parental leave, also prevented fathers from using longer leaves. The research highlights the importance of placing emphasis on work-life balance and that companies measure the impact of such policies. Managers should also encourage employees to express their struggles to combine work and family life.