A family-friendly work culture is an organizational culture that supports employees in balancing work and private life without negatively affecting career progression or well-being. It is built on flexibility, trust and an understanding that employees have family and personal responsibilities that matter.

The Act on Equal Status and Equal Rights Irrespective of Gender emphasizes that employees should be able to balance work and family life, regardless of gender. Employers are therefore required to take necessary measures to support staff, for example by increasing flexibility in work arrangements and working hours. Such measures should consider both employees’ family circumstances and the needs of the workplace.

Employers should also facilitate employees’ return to work after maternity leave, parental leave or leave due to urgent family circumstances.

Questions to assess whether a workplace is family-friendly

• Are options discussed to help employees balance work and family life?

• What are managers’ attitudes toward family life and the importance of employees being able to meet family responsibilities?

• Is flexible work arrangements offered, such as flexible working hours or remote work?

• Are employees treated with respect when family circumstances conflict with work?

• Do both women and men receive understanding and support when they need to fulfil their parental role?

What is gender mainstreaming?

Gender mainstreaming is a method that involves systematically integrating gender and equality considerations into all policymaking, decisions, plans and daily operations – from the start to the completion of projects.

Gender mainstreaming means that:

• Equality perspectives are integrated into all activities

  • In plans

  • Processes

  • Services

  • Budgets

  • Change projects

• It is assessed how decisions and procedures affect employees differently, based on gender.

• Efforts to achieve gender equality are carried out as part of daily work, not as an additional task.

Ministries and public institutions are required to consider gender equality and other perspectives when shaping policies, making plans and taking decisions. This applies to all their activities. An example of a gender mainstreaming method can be found here.

More on gender mainstreaming

Gender budgeting is a method that ensures equality perspectives are part of budgets and financial planning – not as an afterthought, but as an integral part of routine decisions on how public funds are allocated.

Gender budgeting involves:

• Analysing how public spending and revenue affect women, men and non-binary individuals now and in the future.

• Ensuring that allocations support equality, for example by reducing gender-based barriers or inequalities.

• Assessing the impact of decisions in advance, before funds are allocated or new policies are introduced.

• Making budgets more transparent and fair by basing them on data and analysis.

Objectives of gender budgeting

• To promote equality in society through targeted use of resources.

• To ensure that public services and investments benefit everyone equally.

• To prevent unconscious gender bias from becoming embedded in funding or systems.

We all have the right to a working environment characterized by mutual respect in all interactions. This includes the right to protection against gender‑based violence, gender‑based harassment, sexual harassment, and other forms of violence in the workplace. Such behavior is both unlawful and ethically unacceptable, whether it is carried out by an employer, colleagues, or individuals whom an employee must interact with as part of their work duties.

According to the Act on the Equal Status and Equal Rights of Women and Men, employers and institutional managers are required to take specific measures to prevent employees from being subjected to gender‑based violence, gender‑based harassment, or sexual harassment in the workplace.

Employers must make it explicitly clear to employees that such behavior is prohibited. An employee who becomes aware of such behavior in the workplace is also obliged to inform the employer or the workplace safety representative.

Support and resources

Many organizations offer assistance to both survivors and perpetrators of gender‑based violence. People’s circumstances differ, and it is therefore important to explore the resources available to find the type of support that best meets one’s needs.

Information about assistance and available resources can be found on the website of the National Emergency Line (Neyðarlínan).

More on gender-based violence