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Just 12% of Scottish parents say their work life balance is ‘just right’, according to research by Family Friendly Working Scotland.
The research based on a survey of 600 parents shows 44% say they are unable to fully participate in school or nursery activities such as shows and parent evenings because of work, 47% say work gets in the way of them spending quality time with family and 34% say work gets in the way of helping their children with homework.
They said pressure on time meant they missed out on a range of things, including seeing their children before they went to bed, were unable to eat together and faced tensions in their relationship.
There was also an impact on their health. Some 45% said work gets in the way of them being able to exercise and keep fit and 43% said work gets in the way of them being able to shop and cook to enable them to have a healthy diet.
Some 55% work extra unpaid hours every week; 27% work more than two extra unpaid hours each week – of those, 15% worked more than four extra unpaid hours a week.
Thirty per cent say they neither have enough time nor enough money for their family to thrive, with parents under 35 being 5% less likely than those aged 35-54 to have the money and time they need to thrive; and 34% say they have enough time but not enough money to fully enjoy family life.
Higher income earners have a better chance of achieving a good work life balance than those on lower incomes. Some 44% of lower income workers cited the need for greater flexibility, as opposed to 28% of high income earners. Some 40% said they would like more flexible working hours.
They said having family friendly employers made them more loyal, more motivated and more productive.
Parents wanted to see more flexible hours, access to emergency leave, better understanding of family commitments and more regular hours and income.