On March 8, 1857, a movement began in the struggle for recognition. A group of textile workers decided to take to the streets of New York in protest against the terrible wages and working conditions they endured. This event marked the starting point for a tireless struggle to achieve equality between men and women. Strikes and other events followed until, finally, in 1975, the United Nations officially recognized March 8 as International Working Women's Day. Since then, various activities have taken place every year to remind us of the long road we have traveled and how much remains to be done.
The Minister of Finance, Cristóbal Montoro, stated last December that the 2014 personal income tax reform would promote treating the family as a tax unit, thereby supporting work-life balance, and that it "would enhance the role of women in the workplace, especially their status as mothers." The minister also emphasized that Spain is the only country in which the public Treasury "pays women" and "positively discriminates" in their favor as working mothers. While it is true that women have become the main beneficiaries of the other work-life balance measures that have been progressively recognized and that were initially also intended for men, the reality is that workplace rights such as reduced working hours or leave to care for young children are requested almost exclusively by women. Work-family balance must break the chain that binds women to it to a greater extent. We must begin by breaking the work-life balance–woman equation, and both sexes must feel equally involved. Balancing family, professional, and personal life helps build a society based on people's quality of life, prioritizing equal opportunities for men and women so that they can develop in every area of their lives, advance professionally, and enjoy time both personally and with their families. At Alares, aware of all this, we develop tailored work-life balance plans for companies' employees and their families, addressing the number-one priority of work-life balance: family care. Today, the world is constantly undergoing changes that require a new approach to work organization. Being unable to reconcile professional life with family and personal life has negative consequences for companies. This is why it is so important for organizations to be flexible and recognize their female and male employees as a distinguishing asset. Companies are beginning to understand that people's well-being is linked to their full performance and that employees perform better when the needs of their family and personal lives are met. It is necessary to seek new tools that bring us ever closer to the long-awaited balance between women and men in terms of making use of work-life balance measures. Rationalizing working hours is work-life balance; sharing responsibilities and developing a professional, personal, and family life is also work-life balance. However, to achieve excellence in work-life balance, companies must take into account important needs that are not met by the former measures—namely, access to quality services that meet employees' family needs when they are away from home. If work is a factor common to both, work-life balance cannot be any different. Therefore, it is essential to implement measures aimed at supporting and helping both women and men so that they can enjoy their status with equal opportunities.
