Cross-sectoral cooperation toward a work-life balance

Abstract

The article focuses on the introduction of two Work-Life Balance (WLB) models developed and implemented in the United States of America (the USA) and in the European Union (the UE). Main characteristics and assumptions connected with both models are presented.

In recent years policies favoring the reconciliation of work and private life have gained great attention of  many EU Member States, but still number of obstacles can be identified, including: a lack of  knowledge about possible solutions and their results (both employers and employees), a lack of information and advisory support for both groups of stakeholders, or lack of some effective methods of cooperation between the representatives of different sectors for the implementation of WLB practices in general.

Some tools used to overcome the pointed-out limitations for implementing WLB solutions in EU countries are programs co-financed by the budgets of their national governments and the European Social Fund (ESF). An example of such tools used toward supporting WLB practices in Poland is a project co-financed by the EU under the POWER 4.3 ESF campaign called "Cross-sectoral cooperation toward WLB based on cooperation models and tools from Great Britain”.

The article presents the project as an example of good practice from Poland and describes innovative products developed in the project, including three models of cross-sectoral cooperation between employment agencies and training institutions, CSOs, and employers toward WLB.