Working-time preferences and work-life balance in the EU: some policy considerations for enhancing the quality of life

What are the working-time preferences of the workforce in Europe? Which schedules are the most compatible with family and other commitments? These questions are relevant to European employment policy and for the working-time policy negotiations of the social partners and are examined in this article. This article presents evidence about the number of hours that men and women would prefer to work, and their assessments of the degree of compatibility between their work schedules and their family and other commitments drawn from two recent European surveys by the Foundation. It provides a contextual overview of recent developments in national working-time policies at European and national level.