In view of the shortage of skilled workers, Federal Minister for Family Affairs Lisa Paus has called for a higher proportion of women in the workforce.
“We have a huge potential of women who would like to work more, but don’t do so because they can no longer juggle job, family and household,” said the Greens politician today during a visit to Berlin’s city cleaning department. In fact, every second female employee works part-time. For men it is eleven percent.
Employing more women has great potential
“If all women with children under the age of six worked as many hours at work as surveys show they would like, then we would have 840,000 more workers in Germany in one fell swoop,” said Paus.
In order to secure skilled workers, more female employment and an increase in the weekly working hours of mothers are needed. This requires, among other things, more skilled workers in the educator professions and in nursing.
Due to the lack of staff, women in particular are reducing their jobs in order to take care of their children or relatives in need of care at home, said Paus. Overall, family and work should be better compatible. “This includes more time sovereignty for parents and caring relatives, a reform of caregiver leave and the introduction of wage replacement benefits for caring relatives.”
The federal cabinet passed its skilled labor strategy last week. It envisages increasing the participation of women in working life.
