A new survey reveals troubling disparities in how parental leave affects career progression for men and women. Over half of female professionals in Denmark's DJØF union report negative career impacts following parental leave, while far fewer men experience similar setbacks.
The comprehensive study surveyed 42,560 union members, with 2,930 working professionals with children under six years old responding. The results show 57% of women believe their parental leave harmed their careers. Only 19% of men reported similar negative effects.
This represents a concerning increase from previous years. The proportion of women experiencing career damage has risen by seven percentage points since the last comparable survey. Union chair Sara Vergo expressed surprise at this trend, especially given recent policy changes.
New parental leave rules introduced in August 2022 reserved 11 weeks of leave specifically for each parent, making it non-transferable. Since then, fathers have been taking more leave days on average. Yet women continue to bear the career consequences disproportionately.
"This clearly illustrates we still have cultural changes to work through before women and men have equal opportunities in the labor market," Vergo stated in the survey announcement.
The union leader suggested the increased negative perception might reflect growing awareness rather than worsening conditions. She noted attention to workplace equality issues has intensified in recent years.
The survey uncovered specific areas where women face disadvantages. Nearly two-thirds of female respondents reported weaker positions in salary negotiations after returning from leave. Only 28% of men experienced similar challenges.
Anonymous comments from survey participants revealed personal experiences with discrimination. One woman wrote, "I was told salary negotiation wasn't relevant because I had just returned from parental leave. I found this deeply offensive."
Another participant shared, "My manager used my family expansion as an argument against a salary increase, despite my increased responsibilities and work hours, and without increased sick leave. This feels fundamentally unfair."
The findings highlight persistent gender inequality in Scandinavian workplaces, even in progressive Denmark. Despite the country's reputation for gender equality and family-friendly policies, professional women continue to face career penalties for having children.
This situation affects international professionals considering Denmark as a work destination. The data suggests that while parental leave policies appear generous, their implementation creates career obstacles that disproportionately affect women.
The survey results come alongside other recent studies showing how part-time work and childcare responsibilities continue to impact women's lifetime earnings and pension savings in Denmark.
Union officials indicate they will use these findings to push for broader cultural changes in Danish workplaces. They aim to address both conscious and unconscious biases that affect how employers view employees who take parental leave.
The data provides concrete evidence that policy changes alone cannot solve workplace inequality. Deep-seated cultural attitudes about gender roles and professional commitment require continued attention and intervention.