Millennials Gender Ideologies and Experience of a Work-Family Conflict: A Comparison of Dutch and German Millennials.

Abstract

The generation of Millennials reached the age, at which they have mostly entered the job market, started a family and maybe need to care for a frail relative. As Millennials tend to have more egalitarian gender ideologies compared to previous generations, their needs and values regarding their organization of work and family life may have changed compared to older cohorts. If they experience an interrole conflict of their work life with their family life (work to family conflict, WFC) or the other way around (family to work conflict, FWC), this can affect their health negatively and minimize accomplishments at the workplace. Thus, employers as well as political institutions need to consider the needs of this generation and eventually need to react with suitable policies that are in line with the needs of Dutch and German Millennials. This study investigated the following research question: How do gender ideologies and the consequential experienced WFC and FWC differ between Millennials from Germany and the Netherlands? A cross-sectional study design based on the data of the International Social Survey Programme 2012 was chosen and three multiple regression analyses, independent samples t tests and Chi-square tests of contingencies were conducted. It was found that gender ideologies of Dutch and German Millennials do not differ but that in general, women hold more egalitarian attitudes than men. Furthermore, gender ideologies predict FWC. Millennials with more egalitarian gender ideologies experience less FWC. Lastly, compared to German Millennials, Dutch Millennials experience less FWC. As Millennials tend to hold egalitarian gender ideologies, this needs to be incorporated in future work-family policies.