Pay systems
The pay system should preferably be constructed in such a manner that it discourages overtime.
Information on European regulations of work time, compensation of overtime etc.:
Challenging management overwork
The limitation of overtime work also applies to the management level. Executives often work “functionally”, i.e. that their overwork is not counted at all. This is rewarded by generally higher salaries. The company could restructure its pay system in order to make overtime work more visible – and changeable.
Compensation of overtime
European countries have regulations on how overtime should be compensated, through money or time off. Executives have to be aware of their employees’ use of overtime and should study the consequences that different models of compensation have on working hours.
Integration of pay system and measures
The pay system has to be taken into consideration when developing or implementing other kinds of organisational measures to improve men’s work-life balance. Consider how the company's pay system, and factors like bonuses and financial compensation for overwork, act as a driving force or an obstacle to the different measures in the work-life balance area.
FOCUS
The project Fostering Caring Masculinities is an EU-sponsored project with five partners; Germany, Iceland, Norway, Slovenia and Spain. The project has aimed to examine and improve men’s opportunities for balancing work and private/family life in order to encourage the preparedness of men to take over caring tasks. To reach this goal the project has focused on companies' framework conditions to perceive and include men as actors and target groups in equality policies.
Each partner has carried out studies in two different companies, one private and one public. The guidelines presented here are based on these work place studies and examples of existing practices from other companies.
Intermon-Oxfam Spain
Fostering Caring Masculinities
