Kenneth Glad
People are increasingly finding it difficult to balance work and family life, even in countries known for strong social support systems.
Denmark is often held up as a model for work-life balance, with generous childcare systems and strong social support. Yet new figures suggest that even here, parents are struggling to keep up. If the pressure is this visible in one of the world’s most supportive welfare systems, it raises a broader question: how are families coping elsewhere?
Data reported by DR from the Danish Association of Masters and PhDs shows that more than half of parents with young children feel they lack time for both work and family life.
That tension plays out in everyday moments. Fixed office hours clash with daycare pickups. Meetings run late while children wait. Even in a system designed to support families, the structure of full-time work leaves little flexibility.
Janne Gleerup, the association’s chair, describes a daily reality shaped by constant demands, where the needs of young children are added on top of already full schedules.
The findings challenge the idea that strong welfare systems alone can solve the work-life balance puzzle.
Gaps at home
The pressure is not evenly shared. Women report significantly higher levels of time constraints than men, according to a survey cited by DR.
When disruptions occur, such as a sick child, mothers are still more likely to adjust their workday or stay home. That pattern persists despite high levels of workforce participation among both parents.
“Women still take most of the sick days with the children. And they are also more often the ones walking around with a guilty conscience,” Gleerup says, according to DR.
Laust Høgedahl, a labour market researcher at Aalborg University, points to a deeper mismatch:
“We have been good at getting women into the labor market, but not at adapting it to families with two full-time working parents.”
Beyond Denmark
The strain is already affecting well-being. Many parents report feeling drained after work, with limited energy left for family time, while a majority say they feel stressed trying to meet expectations in both roles.
Parents are calling for more adaptable work patterns. Suggestions include shorter workweeks, flexible hours and the option to work from home when needed.
Still, Gleerup warns that part-time work is not a complete answer if it shifts responsibility onto individuals rather than employers or policymakers.
Høgedahl adds that without changes, some parents may leave the labor market, while others remain but face ongoing stress and fatigue.
In a country often seen as a benchmark for family-friendly policy, the findings suggest that the challenge runs deeper than benefits alone.
If even well-supported systems struggle to align work with family life, the gap may be wider in places with fewer protections.
Source: DR
