How Sweden Helps You Maintain a Healthy Work-Life Balance

Sweden has witnessed increased net migration in recent times. Nationals of other countries are now considering this Nordic nation a place to relocate to. In this article, we will explain how this renewed migration to Sweden was made possible by the Swedes and how Sweden helps you maintain a healthy work-life balance.

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Ways Sweden Helps You Achieve Work-Life Balance

How Sweden Helps You Maintain a Healthy Work-Life Balance

Gender Equity

Everyone, regardless of gender, has the right to work and support themselves as well as balance career and family life, which is one of Sweden’s guiding principles for gender equality. This notion also pertains to creating the foundation for the economy on a national scale.

Sweden has a long history of policies aimed at increasing the number of people in the workforce, or as many people as feasible, in order to boost the growth of the nation. Parental leave was introduced in Sweden in 1974 with specific modifications to cater for the lapses in the gender ridden ‘maternity leave’ thus, becoming the first nation in the world to do so.

Parental Leave

Sweden’s efforts to promote gender equality have largely been successful. Today, it’s common to see fathers wheeling strollers and conversing over coffee with one another while their children are being fed in parks and cafés. Both “latte dads” and “latte mums” can be found in Sweden.

And Sweden is ranked No 1 in the most recent Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) list of nations based on their labor force participation rates. When a child is born or adopted, parents in Sweden are entitled to 480 days of paid parental leave. If there are two parents, each one is entitled to 240 of those days. If the baby is born in 2016 or after, each parent will have 90 days set aside just for that child. They cannot be given to the partner if he or she chooses not to accept them. The complete 480 days are due to a single parent. According to statistics, fathers currently account for 30% on average of all paid parental leave in Sweden.

Childcare, Education, and Medical Care

Children in Sweden are entitled to a spot in nursery school as soon as they turn one. The majority of kids start nursery school at some time and continue there until the fall of the year, when they turn six, they must start attending compulsory school. Most parents in Sweden decide to return to work after their parental leave due to the availability of affordable childcare.

From “preschool class” (förskoleklass) to upper secondary school/sixth form/high school, education for children ages 6 to 19 is entirely tax-financed, frequently including lunches. The Swedish Social Insurance Agency offers compensation to parents of children under the age of 12 who work in Sweden but must take time off to care for a sick kid. Children between the ages of 12 and 15 need a doctor’s note. Tax subsidies cover the majority of Sweden’s healthcare costs, including childbirth.

Sweden is Welcoming to Children

Sweden provides many public spaces and amenities to keep the whole family happy, such as pram ramps, playgrounds, and kid-only park areas. Sweden also has a vibrant children’s literature scene. Children’s literature in several languages are available at libraries, as are frequently events like painting, crafting, and sing-alongs.

Sweden is, in essence, a family-friendly nation, as most libraries and shopping malls include breastfeeding rooms for babies as well as changing stations in the public restrooms. When dining out, the majority of establishments offer cozy chairs for infants and young children, and many additionally have changing tables in the restrooms.

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