Mum or CEO – Why Not Both?

Spari: You are working very successfully in the heart of Styrian industry, in a male-dominated world at the Federation of Austrian Industries Styria (IV). How did this come about, and how do you feel about it? 
 
Zechner: Industry is often seen as male-dominated. That may still be true to some extent, but it is undoubtedly becoming more female-centric. Today, a quarter of industrial apprentices are female, and there are increasingly more women in management positions or in prospective management positions. As in any other field, I am convinced that in the end it is about competence in what you do – regardless of gender.

Spari: Have you had to overcome challenges?
 
Zechner: I’ve been with the IV for ten years.  Back then, I entered an environment where you had to assert yourself – regardless of whether you were a man or a woman. I don’t want to play into the old clichés that women must do more and more and that it’s harder and harder for them. I think any young person or young manager, male or female, will face similar challenges when entering an area that is already established. You must work for your career no matter what gender you are; and that’s how it was for me too. It’s by no means unique to industry, it’s simply the career path.
 
Spari: You have been working with Young Industry Styria for several years to improve work-life balance. In your opinion, what measures should politicians take to make it easier for women to return to work?
 
Zechner: The issue of childcare and balancing family and career is multifaceted. Gender aside, I think you have to offer both men and women the same opportunities when it comes to work-life balance, especially as more young men are deciding to take on a caring role.
 
Flexibility, availability, and affordability of high-quality services are essential.  Above all, we need a wide range of services which are compatible with parents’ working hours. It is only possible to reconcile work and family life if it is possible to have children in the best care during working hours.  I therefore think politicians have a lot to do in the childcare arena. They need to create the right framework conditions.

Spari: Are more measures needed to motivate men to take on more responsibility in family life? 
 
Zechner: We need to pursue several approaches to make the compatibility of family and career a matter of course. I think this falls in to two distinct levels.  Firstly, there is the individual level.  We have to discuss with families how they can divide up the tasks and create a fair balance. Secondly, there’s the societal level. We need to finally move away from outdated patriarchal role models and adapt to the modern family of today.
 
I believe much still needs to be done in Austria to ensure childcare is no longer viewed as predominantly a female responsibility. This stereotype is also unfair to men, as it implies they aren’t trusted with childcare. Childcare is a family affair, and we need to change outdated mindsets and provide role models to achieve sustainability. 
 
Spari: What steps are needed to support women CEOs in balancing motherhood, emphasising that they shouldn’t have to choose between their careers and starting a family?
 
Zechner: “Mum or CEO” is one of many headlines in our latest campaign “Our industry is rethinking”, which aims to show it’s not an either-or situation in Styrian industry. It is important to us to bring things into balance. We are firmly convinced that it is already “Mum and CEO” and we’ve some great examples in Styria where this is already true: successful women can and do manage full-time jobs and family life.
 
We need to clearly communicate to women and men that they can do anything and that they will receive the best possible support in their endeavours. Once again, it’s childcare that makes or breaks everything, because – without additional support from family – a full-time job is honestly not compatible with a full day at a kindergarten which closes at 4pm. Even if the child is well looked after from 8am to 4pm, you still need to allow for the commute, which leaves very little time to properly pursue a career.
 
A key aspect of this part-time issue is that the proportion of women in part-time jobs, at over 50%, is much higher than that of men, making it one of the highest figures in Europe. Childcare also plays a crucial role in connection with the shortage of skilled labour, and is not only important for mothers, but also for families, society, and industrial companies.

Spari: In this context, let’s also look a little into the future. When will we get to the point where it’s no longer mum or CEO, but parenthood or CEO and what do politicians need to do to achieve this?
 
Zechner: Ideally, in the future it will also be parenthood and CEO. I think what is needed above all is a change in social awareness, in which politicians can help to enable more flexibility and create more childcare facilities, and not just for children. Women also have to deal with the whole issue of caring for elderly relatives. This is quite common once the children have grown and don’t need as much care.  Families are then faced with caring for aged relatives, a responsibility which mostly falls on women. There needs to be widespread awareness that both genders can equally fulfil this role effectively, and that there are specific external support services and new concepts available.
 
We need to rethink this topic: what it could look like if we were to reorganise it from the ground up?