Download or read book Babies and Bosses written by Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and published by . This book was released on 2002 with total page 250 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This OECD study of parents' participation in the labor market shows how family-friendly policies such as childcare, child-related leave and tax/benefit policies can help create a better balance between work and family-life. Access to affordable good-quality childcare is a critical factor. Paid child-related leave benefits have aroused a lively policy debate. The problems parents face in balancing their work and family life go far beyond the period when their children are very young. The existing workplace culture still places a penalty on fathers using family-friendly benefits. Hence, mothers make the greatest use of leave arrangements, part-time work and flexible working hours. This can damage their career development when compared to men, and perpetuates existing gender inequalities at the labor market. For some (potential) parents, having children (or having as many as desired) and fulfilling labor market aspirations are mutually exclusive activities. As a result, current labor supply is less that what it could be, and human capital is underused. This result reflects an inefficient use of labor market resources, and if this situation were to be perpetuated, it would limit economic growth relative to potential. The declining number of children also has obvious implications for the shape of future societies. This publication includes some options for policy reform towards a better reconciliation of work and family commitments.