“Work–Family Reconciliation in the Financial and Insurance Sector”
The Alares® Foundation, in collaboration with IESE (International Center for Work and Family) at the University of Navarra, has presented the first study in the “Alares®–IESE Studies” collection on Work–Family–Personal Life Balance in the financial and insurance sector.This is the first study in the collection to analyze the Financial and Insurance Sector, highlighting how flexibility in all its areas has advanced within this sector, measured through the ICWF (International Center for Work and Family) model of IESE, positioning it as one of the most flexible sectors in the market.The objectives of the Alares® Foundation include researching, contributing to, and developing proposals and solutions for the new needs of the 21st century—namely, everything related to dependency, diversity and immigration, corporate social responsibility, equality, and personal and professional work–life balance. To this end, the Foundation conducts studies and research projects, and organizes debates, conferences, seminars, awards, and training initiatives that help meet citizens’ needs.Javier Benavente Barrón, President of the Alares® Foundation; Nuria Chinchilla, Professor and Director of the International Center for Work and Family at IESE–University of Navarra and Trustee of the Alares® Foundation; and Carlos Moyano Ecenarro, Director of the Institutional Relations Office of Caja de Ahorros del Mediterráneo (CAM), sponsor of the study, participated in the event.Javier Benavente Barrón, President of the Alares® Foundation, highlighted the Foundation’s strong commitment to today’s society in each and every one of its projects. Among others, he emphasized the “Training for Immigrants” program, which consists of training sessions on general culture and the customs of our country, with the dual objective of facilitating access to employment while also preparing participants to provide care and support for dependent people. He also highlighted the work being carried out to train informal caregivers and promote the employment integration of people with disabilities through studies and projects.For her part, Nuria Chinchilla, Professor and Director of the International Center for Work and Family at IESE–University of Navarra and Trustee of the Alares® Foundation, stated that “Work–life balance is a duty more than a need. We work to improve the gap we all experience every day—to reconcile our lives and our work. Society is changing, companies are changing, and this is a journey with no turning back.”
On the other hand, Nuria Chinchilla pointed out that an important indicator of the situation in the financial sector is its work–life balance policies. These reflect the sector’s concern for employees, not only regarding their professional development but also their personal and family development. These work–life balance measures have been compared with those of all business sectors and show a higher rate of implementation, ranging from 15 to 46 percentage points above the overall sample. The financial and insurance sector stands out from the rest because it generally applies the following measures: life insurance, retirement plans, accident insurance, flexible vacation schedules, leave to care for a family member, flexible working hours, and so on.Carlos Moyano Ecenarro, Director of the Institutional Relations Office of Caja Mediterráneo (CAM), sponsor of the study, presented the ambitious work–life balance plan being implemented at CAM as a strategic measure in its sector to retain and attract the best professionals in the market. He emphasized that “Work–life balance is a fundamental issue—not only a social matter, but also a strategic positioning issue. It is a path with no turning back.”
