Reconciling family and work – European countries compared
Last updated: 21. October 2026
The topic of reconciling family and work is one of the most current issues in the working world – including in our neighbouring European countries. In a 2019 study by Unicef on family-friendliness in a European comparison, Germany reaches sixth place behind Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Estonia and Portugal. But why are family and work easier to reconcile in Sweden (rank 1)? And why does Switzerland (rank 31) fare worse by comparison?
In the following, the three countries Sweden, Germany and Switzerland are compared regarding support for reconciling family and work.
Reconciling family and work in Germany
In the Unicef study, Germany takes sixth place. Although the result is respectable, there's still room for improvement in this country too. In Germany, 71 percent of mothers with minor children are in employment. 68 percent of employed mothers work part-time (Microcensus 2024).Statutory maternity protection is 14 weeks and is paid in full. The subsequent parental leave can be shared between partners and amounts to a period of up to three years.
The childcare rate in Germany is quite high, but the search is often laborious. While childcare places for children aged three to six are much more available, demand exceeds supply for the care of children between 0 and three years. For many parents, the quality of care is also unsatisfactory. Most kindergartens only open at eight o'clock and close at 4 p.m., so working hours have to be aligned with that period. The range of kindergarten fees in Germany is wide. Depending on where you live, attendance can be free, or several hundred euros a month may apply. Besides the place of residence, the fees are determined above all by the children's age, the scope of care and the parents' annual income – with income calculated differently in each federal state.
Family-friendliness in a company is a central criterion in the job choice for many mothers and fathers. Companies are increasingly implementing flexible working models, but this is still very sector-dependent and not feasible across the board.
Reconciling family and work in Sweden
When it comes to the question of reconciling family and work, Sweden is considered a pioneer in Europe. The Unicef study also reflects this result: Sweden takes top place in the European comparison. What are the reasons that family and work are easier to reconcile in Sweden? In Sweden, 82% of mothers are employed. Only 40% of them work part-time. While mothers in Germany reduce their working hours when the child is born, in Sweden both parents often reduce their workload equally. Fathers in Sweden experience strong social support for participating in childcare.
Paid parental leave in Sweden is 480 days and can be split between the parents. 90 days of this are reserved for each parent and not transferable to the other. This fosters a fairer division of care tasks between mother and father. In the first thirteen of a total of sixteen months in which the father or mother takes care of childcare, the parents receive a parental allowance of 80 percent of their income. Since 1 July 2024, parents in Sweden can also transfer part of their paid parental leave to another caring person – such as the grandparents: up to 45 days per parent, or up to 90 days for single parents.
In Sweden, many companies offer flexible working-time models. This is complemented by a high availability of kindergarten places. The costs for this depend on income, with the maximum rate for the first child being the equivalent of €140. For each additional child the amount decreases.
The care offering is adapted to the parents' working hours. Early opening and late closing times ensure that reconciling family and work is significantly easier. Almost 200 municipalities in Sweden also offer “Nattis” places, where children are cared for overnight. They thereby respond to young parents' long-since-changed working hours.
Reconciling family and work in Switzerland
Our neighbouring country takes last place in the Unicef European comparison. In Switzerland, traditional role models dominate, as shown by the high part-time rate among mothers (82.7%). Maternity leave in Switzerland ends after 14 weeks. Since 1 January 2021, employed fathers additionally have the right to two weeks of paid paternity leave. It can be taken flexibly within the first six months after the birth. Federal Social Insurance Office (Switzerland).
When parents have their children cared for, this costs them on average a quarter of their income in Switzerland. Childcare in Switzerland is also difficult: only two thirds of children aged three and over have a kindergarten place. About 20% of parents say their children aren't cared for to the desired extent. Due to the high care costs, around a fifth of parents now forgo the care offering.
Conclusion
Overall, social and governmental support for reconciling family and work differs in Europe considerably. While countries like Sweden are pioneers in supporting the reconciliation of family and work, other countries like Switzerland still have catching up to do. Many countries, however, show a strong commitment to reconciling family and work. In Spain, for example, fathers now also have the right to 16 weeks of paternity leave, so that women's careers are less affected. Continuously improving the framework conditions and adapting to families' needs remain central challenges in Europe.
Feel free to share this post with others:
