Work-life balance and flexible working arrangements in the European Union

The reconciliation of work and life responsibilities has become an increasingly relevant policy topic in recent decades. It has an implicit societal value linked to gender equality and quality of life. It also has an economic dimension, with poor work–life balance clearly hampering participation in the labour market, the latter having been defined as a key objective of the European growth strategy. This background paper is a contribution by Eurofound to the Informal Employment and Social Affairs Council (EPSCO) under the Estonian Presidency of the Council of the EU, Tallinn, 19–20 July 2017.