Goals of FOCUS

The integration of men in gender equality policies should be set at the workplace level according to two major assumptions:

1. Traditional gender relations are linked to the gendered separation of the private and the work-sphere. A strong male breadwinner and over-performer pole makes up a main obstacle against equality processes.
2. As recent studies (e.g. Holter 2003, Puchert et al. 2005) emphasize, organisations and companies are most resistant against changes among men and deviating concepts of masculinity.

Our context

Recent developments largely changed men's attitudes and habitudes already. Studies show men's growing interest in caring roles. On the other hand, companies are extensively based on the breadwinner model. Thus, the workplace proved to be resistant against modifications in their positioning towards hegemonic masculinity (Connell 1995, Lange 1998). Due to this, it is not amazing that men are up to now scarcely seen as a target group for gender equality policy.

The core characteristics of men to be change actors are their actual or potential deviation from hegemonic and traditional masculinity. We focus on men beyond breadwinner and over-performer models (see Puchert & Höyng 1998), men who favour carer-roles in their private lives (e.g. active fatherhood) and who work in non-standard work-forms enabling both (like part-time and working time reduction, paternal leave). In contrast to traditional concepts of gender equality, the partners committed in FOCUS strongly believe in groups of men as potential actors towards pro-equality changes, with own interests, experiences and motivations.

National studies

The project will be based on empirical material from companies and management culture, and focuses on company internal change actors (managers, experts, care pioneers) as suppliers of conditions for gender equality within the companies/organisations. The project will look particularly at innovation along with new and more flexible work methods that promote caring masculinities. Another goal is to bring to light the mutual advantages that gender equality has for working life, community life and family life. Up-to-date research results on men’s change processes and demands in terms of family reconciliation, health and well being will be transferred into practical tools.

Each partner country will select one private and one public company/organisation. There will also be carried out an action study with external experts in Germany. The aim is to start an internal change process in the chosen companies that e.g. will map both possibilities and obstacles concerning men/fathers balancing working life with family life. Interviews will be carried out with representatives for the companies, like the managers, human resource people, representatives for trade unions and other employees.

Single objectives

1. To give an overview of men’s opportunities for balancing work and private/family life in the participating countries.
2. To identify potentials for further change processes towards care-related masculinities in the partner countries.
3. To foster social innovation in the form of increasing managers’ awareness, to encourage them to think along new lines about men’s role and to realise the advantages of equality-promoting measures.
4. To collect information and experiences of external organisation consultants about possibilities to include men into equality oriented change processes, men's and organisations' motivations, resistances, successful strategies, and practical tools.
5. To extract company-internal options in all countries about
   a) positive and hindering factors in companies,
   b) relevant actors and their motivations,
   c) successful learning and change processes.
6. To develop and assess a guideline and practical tools for an improved perception and integration of men in equality oriented change processes.

Operational objectives

• To identify potentials and obstacles for further change processes towards care-related masculinities in the partner countries. The object of this is to portray organisation, working- and leader cultures in the partner countries, as this will provide necessary background information for the project, and to compare the framework of men’s opportunities for developing and include caring masculinities in their lives.
• To promote organisational change, intervene and cooperate with change actors, innovators, expert and leaders in the company. The object of this is to foster social innovation in the form of increasing managers’ awareness, to encourage them to think along new lines about men’s role, and to realise the advantages of equality-promoting measures.
• To implement instruments in organisational change process. The object of this is to take a concrete step towards increasing gender- and self-awareness among leaders and managers.

Target audiences

• Company managers, boards and employees (including human resources)
• Representatives from social partners (trade unions)
• Politicians
• Media
• Gender Equality experts/consultants