Life’s a Juggle: the All-Round Worker

Resources for, and hindrances to, workers who are caring for loved ones and others – and taking training

Authors: Anne Roeters, Alice de Boer, Wil Portegijs, Ralf Maslowski and Jurriaan Omlo
 

In the Netherlands, many workers combine paid work with caregiving, learning, or both. Although the combination of these activities can be enriching, conflicts can arise as well. Workers can experience barriers at work that prevent them from caring for loved ones and learning as much as they need or would like to. To ensure that people can participate in paid work, care for their children, provide informal care and engage in lifelong learning, the quality of work needs to be ensured and enhanced and a combination of structural and cultural changes is needed. Employers, employees, and the government have a joint responsibility here.